IFN-ε protects primary macrophages against HIV infection.

ABSTRACT: IFN-ε is a unique type I IFN that is not induced by pattern recognition response elements. IFN-ε is constitutively expressed in mucosal tissues, including the female genital mucosa. Although the direct antiviral activity of IFN-ε was thought to be weak compared with IFN-α, IFN-ε controls Chlamydia muridarum and herpes simplex virus 2 in mice, possibly through modulation of immune response. We show here that IFN-ε induces an antiviral state in human macrophages that blocks HIV-1 replication. IFN-ε had little or no protective effect in activated CD4⁺ T cells or transformed cell lines unless activated CD4⁺ T cells were infected with replication-competent HIV-1 at a low MOI. The block to HIV infection of macrophages was maximal after 24 hours of treatment and was r

SUBMITTER: Tasker C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5135270 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature