HIV-Positive Liver Transplant Does not Alter the Latent Viral Reservoir in Recipients With Antiretroviral Therapy-Suppressed HIV

We evaluated whether receiving a liver transplant might lead to a change in the HIV latent viral reservoir (LVR). There were no differences in LVR between recipients with HIV who received a liver from a donor with or without HIV. The latent viral reservoir (LVR) remains a major barrier to HIV-1 curative strategies. It is unknown whether receiving a liver transplant from a donor with HIV might lead to an increase in the LVR because the liver is a large lymphoid organ. We found no differences in intact provirus, defective provirus, or the ratio of intact to defective provirus between recipients with ART-suppressed HIV who received a liver from a donor with (n = 19) or without HIV (n = 10). All measures remained stable from baseline by 1 year posttransplant. These data demonstrate that the LVR is stable after liver transplantation in people with HIV.