Impact of ART simplification with dolutegravir and lamivudine on the HIV reservoir

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) suppresses HIV replication and prevents the development of AIDS. However, ART is not curative. Persistence of viral reservoirs forms the major obstacle to an HIV cure. HIV reservoirs persist mainly through cellular longevity and proliferation, but replenishment by residual virus replication despite ART has been proposed as another potential mechanism of HIV persistence. In recent years, there has been a clear trend towards ART regimens that include fewer drugs (e.g., dual instead of triple therapy). In this study, we evaluated the presence of ongoing viral replication and reservoir replenishment and the impact of ART simplification on blood and tissue HIV reservoir, residual viremia, chronic immune activation, and inflammation.