Replication-competent HIV could be recovered after 120-day culture from the activated GALT-derived CD4⁺ T cells of a typical LTNP/EC, but not from those of the cases. (A-B) Positively selected CD4⁺ T cells from PBMCs (A; n = 7) or gut biopsy (B; n = 6) samples of the cases (C1, ×; C2, †; C3, ★, C4,◊) and controls were stimulated with medium containing soluble anti-CD3/anti-CD28 monoclonal antibodies and recombinant IL-2 (40 IU/mL) for 3 days and subsequently cultured in IL-2-containing medium for 120 days. Analysis of intracellular HIV p24 expression and overgrowth of CD8⁺ T cells occurred every 48 to 72 hours. CD8 depletion was performed if CD8⁺ cells represented more than 1% of the T cells in culture.