Short-term pIFN-α2a treatment does not significantly reduce the viral reservoir of SIV-infected, ART-treated rhesus macaques

Objective: To evaluate the effect of short-term type I IFN treatment on the latent viral reservoir in SIV-infected rhesus macaques on ART; Methods: We infected twelve RMs intrarectally with 10,000 TCID of SIVmac239. After 6 weeks of infection, all RMs started a three-class, four-drug ART regimen. Once viral loads were consistently undetectable, six animals were administered 1 dose of pegylated IFN-α2a per week for 4 weeks with each weekly intramuscular application being 6 µg/kg. We infected twelve RMs intrarectally with 10,000 TCID of SIVmac239. After 6 weeks of infection, all RMs started a three-class, four-drug ART. Once viral loads were consistently undetectable, six animals were administered 1 dose of pegylated IFN-α2a per week for 4 weeks with each weekly intramuscular application being 6 µg/kg.