Comparison of antiviral activity of lambda-interferons against HIV replication in macrophages

Lambda-interferons (IFN-λs) have been demonstrated as having the ability to inhibit HIV replication in macrophages. However, specific differences in signaling transduction and anti-HIV activity in macrophages between different IFN-λs are unclear. Here, we showed that although all 3 members of (IFN-λ1, λ2, and λ3) IFN-λ family induced the expression of a number of genes of janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway in monocyte-derived macrophages, IFN-λ1 or IFN-λ3 induced higher levels of antiviral IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) expression than did IFN-λ2. In addition, IFN-λ1 or IFN-λ3 induced higher levels of several pattern recognition receptors (PPRs) than did IFN-λ2. Incubation of IFN-λs with HIV-infected macrophages showed that IFN-λ1 or IFN-λ3 is more potent in anti-HIV activity than IFN-λ2. We also showed that IFN-λ treatment before HIV infection was more potent in HIV inhibition than that after HIV infection. Further investigations showed that the inductions of ISGs and PPRs expression by IFN-λs were largely compromised by HIV infection. These findings provide further experimental evidence that IFN-λs have therapeutic potential in treatment of HIV infection.