Acid-Labile Alpha Interferon

Abstract

Many homosexual men with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) have an unusual acid-labile form of human leukocyte, or alpha, interferon in their serum. Male patients with classic hemophilia treated with lyophilized clotting-factor concentrates are also at high risk for the development of AIDS. To determine whether the level of alpha interferon may be a preclinical marker of early subclinical disease, we examined stored plasma and serum from three hemophilic patients with AIDS. Persistently elevated levels of the acid-labile form of alpha interferon were found in all three patients. In two patients the appearance of circulating alpha interferon preceded the onset of clinical disease by 3 to 10 months. In contrast, alpha-interferon levels were not elevated in 43 of 46 unselected patients with hemophilia; three of these patients had transient elevations. These results suggest that acid-labile alpha interferon may be a marker that can be used to identify affected asymptomatic members of high-risk groups before the onset of clinical disease.

Downregulation of interferon alpha but not gamma receptor expression in vivo in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

“…However, consistent with previous reports (16,17), the ARC and AIDS patients studies here had elevated serum levels of IFNa (Table I).…”

“…The acidlabile IFN was also detected in two hemophiliac patients before the onset of AIDS (17). We have previously reported elevated levels of an IFN-induced intracellular enzyme, 2'-5' oligoadenylate (2-5A) synthetase,' activity in AIDS and AIDS-related complex (ARC) patients (18).…”

Mechanisms of B cell activation in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and related disorders. Contribution of antibody-producing B cells, of Epstein-Barr virus-infected B cells, and of immunoglobulin production induced by human T cell lymphotropic virus, type III/lymphadenopathy-associated virus.

“…In addition, the patients had markedly fewer B cells that were induced to undergo immortalization by EBV than did normals, and the frequency of EBV-induced transforming cells was not increased by the addition ofantibody to alpha IFN (which has been shown to inhibit the outgrowth of EBV-infected B cells [36] and is elevated in certain patients with ARC [37] (38). In contrast, PWM can activate both small and larger B cells (39).…”

Effect of Type-I Interferon on Retroviruses

“…However, the effect of IFN is difficult to establish, as many factors may be involved in the implacable immune system activation and dysfunction underlying AIDS progression. Alterations in the production levels of IFN-I were among the earliest reported laboratory abnormalities in AIDS patients, with descriptions of elevated serum levels of an unusual acid-labile IFN-α in patients with Kaposi’s sarcoma and hemophilia [43]. …”