title: Immune-specific immunoglobulin G-mediated enhancement of human immunodeficiency virus-induced IFN-alpha production.
abstract: Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) is synthesized as an integral part of innate immunity to viral infection. We previously provided preliminary evidence that antibody-containing serum from HIV-infected individuals enhanced HIV-induced production of IFN-alpha. Subsequently, preparations of pooled human immunoglobulin G (IgG) have also been shown to enhance poliovirus (PV)-induced IFN-alpha production. The current work establishes IgG as the serum mediator that enhances induction of IFN-alpha by HIV. Our studies also establish the ability of sera from individual subjects to enhance PV-induced IFN-alpha production. HIV-induced IFN-alpha production was enhanced maximally by >4000-fold and by an average of 25-fold. Sera from 74 people enhanced PV- induced IFN-alpha from undetectable levels to an average of 615 units (range 7-4679 units). The ability of individual sera to enhance IFN-alpha production by HIV and PV persisted undiminished in patients with AIDS. IgG-mediated enhancement of IFN-alpha production was similar to that induced by IgG and PV and was blocked by IgG Fc fragments. Demonstration of the selective enhancement of HIV-induced IFN-alpha production by IgG from HIV-seropositive individuals provides further evidence for the existence of antigen-specific upregulation of a critical component of innate antiviral immunity by the adaptive Th2 immune response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterans Affairs, Northern California Health Care System, Martinez, CA 94553, USA.
authors.forename: Jon A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Eileen M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Brian T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Mullen
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lum
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pitrak
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fletcher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006678:HIV / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000502:physiology*; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D016898:Interferon-alpha