Control of HIV infection by IFN-α: implications for latency and a cure.

Autor: Bourke, Nollaig M., Napoletano, Silvia, Bannan, Ciaran, Ahmed, Suaad, Bergin, Colm, McKnight, Áine, Stevenson, Nigel J.
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Zdroj: Cellular & Molecular Life Sciences; Mar2018, Vol. 75 Issue 5, p775-783, 9p, 2 Diagrams
Abstrakt: Viral infections, including HIV, trigger the production of type I interferons (IFNs), which in turn, activate a signalling cascade that ultimately culminates with the expression of anti-viral proteins. Mounting evidence suggests that type I IFNs, in particular IFN-α, play a pivotal role in limiting acute HIV infection. Highly active anti-retroviral treatment reduces viral load and increases life expectancy in HIV positive patients; however, it fails to fully eliminate latent HIV reservoirs. To revisit HIV as a curable disease, this article reviews a body of literature that highlights type I IFNs as mediators in the control of HIV infection, with particular focus on the anti-HIV restriction factors induced and/or activated by IFN-α. In addition, we discuss the relevance of type I IFN treatment in the context of HIV latency reversal, novel therapeutic intervention strategies and the potential for full HIV clearance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Databáze: Complementary Index
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