title: Type I IFN--a blunt spear in fighting HIV-1 infection.
abstract: For more than 50 years, Type I Interferon (IFN) has been recognized as critical in controlling viral infections. IFN is produced downstream germ-line encoded pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) upon engagement by pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). As a result, hundreds of different interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) are rapidly induced, acting in both autocrine and paracrine manner to build a barrier against viral replication and spread. ISGs encode proteins with direct antiviral and immunomodulatory activities affecting both innate and adaptive immune responses. During infection with viruses, as HIV-1, that can establish a persistent infection, IFN although produced, is not able to block the initial infection and a chronic IFN-mediated immune activation/inflammation becomes a pathogenic mechanism of disease progression. This review will briefly summarize when and how IFN is produced during HIV-1 infection and the way this innate immune response is manipulated by the virus to its own advantage to drive chronic immune activation and progression to AIDS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299, Rome 00161, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Acchioni
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299, Rome 00161, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marsili
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299, Rome 00161, Italy.
authors.forename: Edvige
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Perrotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299, Rome 00161, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Lisa
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Remoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299, Rome 00161, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sgarbanti
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299, Rome 00161, Italy. Electronic address: angela.battistini@iss.it.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Battistini
mesh_terms: D018450:Disease Progression; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D057131:Immune Evasion; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007249:Inflammation; D050835:Interferon Regulatory Factors / Q000276:immunology; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D000069452:Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D050835:Interferon Regulatory Factors; D007370:Interferon Type I; D000069452:Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern Molecules; D014764:Viral Proteins; C413486:viral interferon regulatory factors
keywords: HIV-1; HIV-1 immune activation; Innate immune sensing; Interferon Regulatory Factors; Type I interferon