- Abdel-Mohsen, Mohamed;
- Deng, Xutao;
- Liegler, Teri;
- Guatelli, John C;
- Salama, Mohamed S;
- Ghanem, Hussam El-din A;
- Rauch, Andri;
- Ledergerber, Bruno;
- Deeks, Steven G;
- Günthard, Huldrych F;
- Wong, Joseph K;
- Pillai, Satish K
Alpha interferon (IFN-α) suppresses human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication in vitro by inducing cell-intrinsic retroviral restriction mechanisms. We investigated the effects of IFN-α/ribavirin (IFN-α/riba) treatment on 34 anti-HIV-1 restriction factors in vivo. Expression of several anti-HIV-1 restriction factors was significantly induced by IFN-α/riba in HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV)-coinfected individuals. Fold induction of cumulative restriction factor expression in CD4(+) T cells was significantly correlated with viral load reduction during IFN-α/riba treatment (r(2) = 0.649; P < 0.016). Exogenous IFN-α induces supraphysiologic restriction factor expression associated with a pronounced decrease in HIV-1 viremia.