{
  "abstract": "The anti-apoptotic molecule BCL-2 favours the maintenance of the CD4+ T-cell reservoir during HIV infection. Whether inhibition of BCL-2 can lead to long-term reduction of the HIV reservoir is unclear. Here we initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART) in 24 simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected rhesus macaques at 14 days post infection (p.i.), alone or combined with a 10-day treatment of venetoclax or venetoclax and CD8α depletion, with a follow-up to day 294 p.i. We report a rapid and sustained reduction of the intact SIV reservoir in venetoclax-treated rhesus macaques in blood and lymph nodes. CD4+ T cells that persisted after venetoclax treatment showed partial reduction in apoptotic sensitivity in ex vivo assays. These exhibited elevated expression of anti-apoptotic BCL-2 and BCL-xL, and showed reduced expression of pro-apoptotic molecules such as PUMA. These findings support the rationale for extended venetoclax dosing and suggest that combining BCL-2 inhibition with agents targeting additional anti-apoptotic molecules could enhance clearance of the viral reservoir in HIV cure strategies.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory National Biomedical Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA USA",
    "AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD USA",
    "Division of Animal Resources, Emory National Biomedical Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA USA",
    "Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA",
    "Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA USA",
    "Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, University of North Carolina UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, NC USA",
    "Accelevir Diagnostics, Baltimore, MD USA",
    "Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY USA",
    "Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, New York, NY USA",
    "Division of Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN USA",
    "Department of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN USA"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 25,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Tomas Raul Wiche Salinas",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-8806-4700"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Justin Harper",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-6948-3501"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Claire Deleage",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-3507-0055"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Kevin Nguyen"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "James Auger"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Hannah R. Flores"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Sandeep R. Kaushik",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-3463-3522"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Amelia C. Wilkes"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Rachelle L. Stammen"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Jennifer S. Wood"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Kirk A. Easley",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-4419-2617"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Sydney Nelson"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Gregory K. Tharp",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-3075-755X"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Steven E. Bosinger",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-2116-5061"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Mackenzie L. Cottrell"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Emek Kose"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Taina T. Immonen"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Jeffrey D. Lifson",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-9494-0268"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Gregory M. Laird",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-2873-4295"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Brandon F. Keele",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-2381-1151"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        7,
        8
      ],
      "name": "R. Brad Jones",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-4470-1231"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        9,
        10
      ],
      "name": "Andrew D. Badley"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Guido Silvestri"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Deanna A. Kulpa",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-0411-7295"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Mirko Paiardini",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-7276-3600"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/47cge32d3q1xy.bib",
  "cited_by": 2,
  "doi": "10.1038/s41564-026-02464-7",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13716838/",
  "id": "47cge32d3q1xy",
  "issns": [
    "2058-5276"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-026-02464-7",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Article"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2406|HIV Research and Treatment"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7207867453",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-026-02464-7.pdf",
  "pmcid": "PMC13716838",
  "pmid": "42693271",
  "published": "2026-09-03",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/47cge32d3q1xy.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-01T12:24:02Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13716838",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-026-02464-7"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "openalex:2406|HIV Research and Treatment",
      "subfield": "microbiology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "BCL-2 inhibition at antiretroviral therapy initiation reduces the intact SIV reservoir in macaques",
  "title_text": "BCL-2 inhibition at antiretroviral therapy initiation reduces the intact SIV reservoir in macaques",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-02T12:21:16Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/47cge32d3q1xy",
  "venue": "Nature Microbiology",
  "versions": []
}