PBMC from three HLA-A2*0201 positive individuals with chronic progressive HIV infection, who previously showed detectable IFN-γ responses to the this epitope, were treated overnight with medium, IL-2, or IL-15, and then were stimulated for 6 hours with the SLYNTVATL peptide, and assessed for intracellular IFN-γ production by flow cytometry. Here, IL15 is linked to HIV infectious disease.