Hepatitis C Therapy With Interferon-α and Ribavirin Reduces CD4 T-Cell–Associated HIV-1 DNA in HIV-1/Hepatitis C Virus–Coinfected Patients

H Sun, MJ Buzon, A Shaw, RK Berg… - The Journal of …, 2014 - academic.oup.com
H Sun, MJ Buzon, A Shaw, RK Berg, XG Yu, S Ferrando-Martinez, M Leal, E Ruiz-Mateos
The Journal of infectious diseases, 2014academic.oup.com
Combined treatment with interferon alpha (IFN-α) and ribavirin (RBV) can effectively cure
HCV infection in a significant proportion of patients, but effects of this regimen on cellular
reservoirs for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) are unknown. Here, we show
that treatment with IFN-α/RBV led to a moderate but significant and sustained decline of HIV-
1 DNA in CD4 T cells from HIV-1/hepatitis C virus–coinfected patients receiving highly active
antiretroviral therapy (n= 12). However, in vitro experiments failed to demonstrate an effect of …
Abstract
Combined treatment with interferon alpha (IFN-α) and ribavirin (RBV) can effectively cure HCV infection in a significant proportion of patients, but effects of this regimen on cellular reservoirs for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) are unknown. Here, we show that treatment with IFN-α/RBV led to a moderate but significant and sustained decline of HIV-1 DNA in CD4 T cells from HIV-1/hepatitis C virus–coinfected patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (n = 12). However, in vitro experiments failed to demonstrate an effect of pharmacological doses of IFN-α on HIV-1 reactivation. Together, these data suggest that treatment with IFN-α/RBV can moderately reduce the reservoir of HIV-1–infected CD4 T cells that persists despite suppressive antiretroviral therapy.
Oxford University Press