However, in the absence of demonstrable HIV-specific CD8 T cells (Fig 5A), and with waning B cell immunity to HIV-1 (Figs 7 and S2), GVHD may not have had an effective graft-versus-HIV effect, but instead may have promoted HIV-1 persistence by stimulating subclinical replication, potentially in tissue sanctuary sites, although this is speculative. The gene discussed is CD8A; the disease is graft versus host disease.