EFFECTS OF INTERFERON-ALPHA ON A REDUCED RELEASE OF INTERLEUKIN-8 FROM LATENTLY HIV-1-INFECTED MONOCYTIC CELL-LINE U937 CELLS

The effects of human interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) on the release of an antimicrobial interleukin, interleukin-8 (IL-8), from human immunodef iciency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected myelomonocytic cell line, U937, were studied in vitro to evaluate the potential of IFN-alpha in the ma nagement of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-associated oppor tunistic diseases. The latently HIV-1-infected U937 cells (U937/HIV-1( L)) showed a marked reduction of IL-8 secretion as compared to uninfec ted U937 cells, whereas IL-8 release from productively HIV-1-infected U937 cells was comparable to uninfected cells. The IFN-alpha recovered partially the reduced IL-8 level from U937/HIV-1(L) cells in a dose-d ependent manner. Any significant inhibition of IFN-alpha-augmented IL- 8 secretion by anti-IL-1 antibody was not observed, suggesting that th e enhanced IL-,-8 secretion occurred without augmenting IL-8 productio n. The IFN-alpha-augmented IL-8 secretion from latently HIV-1-infected U937 cells may suggest a beneficial potential of IFN-alpha in a treat ment of bacterial or fungal infection frequently seen in patients with progressive stages of HIV-1 infection.