COORDINATE INDUCTION OF INTERFERON-ALPHA AND INTERFERON-GAMMA BY RECOMBINANT HIV-1 GLYCOPROTEIN-120

Similarly to HIV-infected cells, recombinant HIV-1 glycoprotein 120 in duces acid-labile interferon production in peripheral blood mononuclea r cells from healthy donors. Acid lability of this interferon is due t o the presence of both IFN-alpha and -gamma molecules. In fact, althou gh not revealed by neutralization of antiviral activity with antibody to IFN-gamma, the presence of IFN-gamma was shown both immunoenzymatic ally and by detection of specific mRNA in gp120-stimulated cells. The source of IFN-gamma appears to be a T cell present in the CD4-enriched subpopulation. Cultures treated with monoclonal antibodies to the ICA M-1 and LFA-1 adhesion molecules showed an impaired release of both IF N types after gp120 stimulation, suggesting a crucial role of cell-to- cell interactions in the process leading to IFN production. Our data s uggest that the HIV envelope glycoprotein could be responsible for the induction of endogenous IFN-alpha and -gamma observed in AIDS patient s.