Interferon-γ Is Associated with the Surface of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Binds to thegagGene Product p17

Abstract
Purified HIV-1 antigen preparations produced in cell culture were found to contain interferon-γ (IFN-γ). Electron microscopic examination of HIV-1 released by H9 cells, a cell line found to produce IFN-γ, showed the presence of this molecule on the surface of the virus particle. The HIV-1 protein pl7 was found to bind IFN-γ by a solid-phase radioimmunoassay. The specificity of the reaction was confirmed by Western blot analysis. This finding opens new questions about the biologic role of IFN-γ itself and of its interaction with HIV.