It’s worth noting that 184 unique DEGs were only identified in the group of LTNPs versus CPs, including 38 up-regulated genes in LTNPs, such as CCL22, LILRB3, CCL7/MCP-3, TRAP1, TUBB1 and KLRG1; and 146 down-regulated genes, such as TMPO, BST2, RBX1, CCNA2, OAS2, FOXM1, EZH2, PAFF1, and so on, which may be involved in disease progression during HIV-1 infection (Additional file 2). Here, CCL22 is linked to HIV-1 infection.