Interferon-gamma-activated monocytes impair infectivity of HIV particles by an oxygen metabolite-dependent reaction.

Mononuclear phagocytes generate microbicidal oxygen metabolites spontaneously and after phagocytic stimulation by a NADPH-dependent enzymatic reaction called the oxidative burst. The spontaneous release of reactive oxygen radicals and intermediates (ROI) increases five- to eightfold after treatment of monocytes with the lymphokine interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). The effect of the IFN-gamma-activated release of ROI by human monocytes on the infectivity of free human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the supernatant was investigated with the following results. First, IFN-gamma-activated, but neither control monocytes nor lipopolysaccharide-stimulated monocytes effectively decreased the infectivity of cell-free HIV-1 in culture medium supernatant. Second, the mechanism of inactivation was dependent on the enhanced spontaneous release of ROI by IFN-gamma-activated mononuclear phagocytes, since either the enzyme catalase or the free radical scavenger butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) could block this activity. Third, soluble and solid-phase HIV-1 outer envelope glycoprotein (gp120) failed to trigger the oxidative burst activity after specific gp120-monocytic CD4 receptor interaction. These results indicate an anti-viral effect of IFN-gamma-activated monocytes/macrophages on HIV-1 which may have important implications for our understanding of spread of the virus in the body and the development of full-blown AIDS after a long period of latency.