REPAIR OF THE IN-VITRO HIV-1-INDUCED IMMUNOSUPPRESSION AND BLOCKADE OF THE GENERATION OF FUNCTIONAL SUPPRESSIVE CD8 CELLS BY ANTI-ALPHA INTERFERON AND ANTI-TAT ANTIBODIES

The acute human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection of act ivated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from normal donors r esults in inhibition of cell proliferation and generation of functiona l suppressive T cells. Cultured HIV-1 infected PBMCs but not uninfecte d PBMCs, following irradiation, can inhibit the proliferation of antig en-activated autologous T cells in a dose-dependent way. CD8(+) cell s ubpopulation is responsible for this inhibition. The presence of anti- alpha interferon (IFN alpha) and anti-Tat antibodies in the culture me dium counteracts the HIV-l-induced immunosuppression and prevents the generation of suppressive T cells by these PBMCs. The reported data sh ould have major implications for strategies of AIDS treatment which, i n association with antiviral drugs, aim at targetting immune disorders .