Differential Inhibition of HIV Replication by the 12 Interferon Alpha Subtypes

Human Alveolar and Monocyte-Derived Human Macrophage Responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Alveolar macrophages (AMs) and recruited monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) mediate early lung immune responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Differences in the response of these distinct cell types are poorly understood and may provide insight into mechanisms of tuberculosis pathogenesis. The objective of this study was to determine whether M. tuberculosis induces unique and essential antimicrobial pathways in human AMs compared with MDMs. Using paired human AMs and 5-d MCSF-derived MDMs from six healthy volunteers, we infected cells with M. tuberculosis H37Rv for 6 h, isolated RNA, and analyzed transcriptomic profiles with RNA sequencing. We found 681 genes that were M. tuberculosis dependent in AMs compared with MDMs and 4538 that were M. tuberculosis dependent in MDMs, but not AMs (false discovery rate [FDR] < 0.05). Using hypergeometric enrichment of DEGs in Broad Hallmark gene sets, we found that type I and II IFN Response were the only gene sets selectively induced in M. tuberculosis-infected AM (FDR < 0.05). In contrast, MYC targets, unfolded protein response and MTORC1 signaling, were selectively enriched in MDMs (FDR < 0.05). IFNA1, IFNA8, IFNE, and IFNL1 were specifically and highly upregulated in AMs compared with MDMs at baseline and/or after M. tuberculosis infection. IFNA8 modulated M. tuberculosis-induced proinflammatory cytokines and, compared with other IFNs, stimulated unique transcriptomes. Several DNA sensors and IFN regulatory factors had higher expression at baseline and/or after M. tuberculosis infection in AMs compared with MDMs. These findings demonstrate that M. tuberculosis infection induced unique transcriptional responses in human AMs compared with MDMs, including upregulation of the IFN response pathway and specific DNA sensors.

Role of Type I Interferons during Mycobacterium tuberculosis and HIV Infections

Tuberculosis and AIDS remain two of the most relevant human infectious diseases. The pathogens that cause them, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and HIV, individually elicit an immune response that treads the line between beneficial and detrimental to the host. Co-infection further complexifies this response since the different cytokines acting on one infection might facilitate the dissemination of the other. In these responses, the role of type I interferons is often associated with antiviral mechanisms, while for bacteria such as Mtb, their importance and clinical relevance as a suitable target for manipulation are more controversial. In this article, we review the recent knowledge on how these interferons play distinct roles and sometimes have opposite consequences depending on the stage of the pathogenesis. We highlight the dichotomy between the acute and chronic infections displayed by both infections and how type I interferons contribute to an initial control of each infection individually, while their chronic induction, particularly during HIV infection, might facilitate Mtb primo-infection and progression to disease. We expect that further findings and their systematization will allow the definition of windows of opportunity for interferon manipulation according to the stage of infection, contributing to pathogen clearance and control of immunopathology.

IFNα Subtypes in HIV Infection and Immunity

Type I interferons (IFN), immediately triggered following most viral infections, play a pivotal role in direct antiviral immunity and act as a bridge between innate and adaptive immune responses. However, numerous viruses have evolved evasion strategies against IFN responses, prompting the exploration of therapeutic alternatives for viral infections. Within the type I IFN family, 12 IFNα subtypes exist, all binding to the same receptor but displaying significant variations in their biological activities. Currently, clinical treatments for chronic virus infections predominantly rely on a single IFNα subtype (IFNα2a/b). However, the efficacy of this therapeutic treatment is relatively limited, particularly in the context of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. Recent investigations have delved into alternative IFNα subtypes, identifying certain subtypes as highly potent, and their antiviral and immunomodulatory properties have been extensively characterized. This review consolidates recent findings on the roles of individual IFNα subtypes during HIV and Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) infections. It encompasses their induction in the context of HIV/SIV infection, their antiretroviral activity, and the diverse regulation of the immune response against HIV by distinct IFNα subtypes. These insights may pave the way for innovative strategies in HIV cure or functional cure studies.

Distinct effects of treatment with two different interferon-alpha subtypes on HIV-1-associated T-cell activation and dysfunction in humanized mice

OBJECTIVE

Interferon-alpha (IFN-α) has been associated with excessive immune activation and dysfunction during HIV-1 infection. However, evidence suggests specific IFN-α subtypes may be beneficial rather than detrimental. This study compared the effects of treatment with two different IFN-α subtypes on indicators of T-cell activation and dysfunction during HIV-1 infection.

DESIGN

Humanized mice were infected with HIV-1 for 5 weeks and then treated with two different IFN-α subtypes for an additional 3 weeks. Splenic T cells were assessed both immediately posttreatment and again 6 weeks after treatment cessation.

METHODS

HIV-1 infected triple-knockout bone marrow-liver-thymus mice received daily intraperitoneal injections of either IFN-α14 or the clinically approved subtype, IFN-α2. T cells were analysed directly ex vivo for indicators of activation and dysfunction or stimulated to determine their proliferative capacity and ability to produce functional mediators.

RESULTS

Unlike IFN-α2, IFN-α14 treatment reduced viremia and resulted in less activated CD4+ T cells and a lower naïve to effector CD8+ T-cell ratio. Despite exhibiting a reduced proliferative response, the frequency of CD8+ T cells from IFN-α14 treated mice that produced functional mediators and expressed markers of dysfunction was more similar to healthy controls than untreated and IFN-α2 treated mice. Frequencies of exhaustion marker expression remained higher in untreated and IFN-α2 treated mice 6 weeks posttreatment despite similar viral loads between groups at this timepoint.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment with different IFN-α subtypes had distinctive effects on T cells during HIV-1 infection. IFN-α14 was associated with fewer indicators of T-cell dysfunction whereas IFN-α2 treatment had little impact.