FIG 4.
IFN-α2 mutants with modified IFNAR binding affinities display differential anti-HIV activities compared to that of IFN-α2. (A) Purified primary CD4+ T cells and PBMCs were pretreated with either IFN-α2 or the mutants for 2 h and then inoculated with HIV YU-2 overnight. The next day, the cultures were washed and IFN-αs added back. At days 0, 4, 8, and 12, supernatants were harvested for monitoring HIV replication by quantifying p24 Ag. The areas under the curve of the p24 Ag over time were calculated and normalized to that of matched controls (n = 3 donors). Significance testing was done using RM two-way ANOVAs, comparing all mutants to IFN-α2. Symbols for comparisons with IFN-α2 are as follows: *, YNS; #, YNS-α8T; §, YNS-148A; °, IFN-α2-145G; %, IFN-α2-α8T; †, IFN-α2-26A. (B) Vres values for all of the mutants (n = 3 donors, in duplicates). Significance testing was done using RM one-way ANOVAs, comparing mutants to IFN-α2.