title: Hepatitis C therapy with interferon-α and ribavirin reduces CD4 T-cell-associated HIV-1 DNA in HIV-1/hepatitis C virus-coinfected patients.
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.
authors.affiliation: Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, Boston.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Maria J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Buzon
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: Randi Karteebahn
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: Xu G
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferrando-Martinez
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: Ezequiel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Mateos
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lichterfeld
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D060085:Coinfection / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019562:Viral Load / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012254:Ribavirin
keywords: HIV-1 reservoir; HIV-1/HCV coinfection; interferon-α; ribavirin