The hypomethylated state of the IFNγ and IL-2 promoters in 4 of 4 and 3 of 4 animals, respectively, post-SIV infection compared to pre-infection in PBMC-derived CD8+ T cells indicated active gene transcription based on the known dogma of permissiveness of hypomethylated promoter for downstream gene activation, whereas the increase in methylation at the TNFα promoter in 3 of 4 animals post-infection was expected to be associated with repression of gene transcription compared to pre-infection. Here, TNF is linked to infection.