IFNA6 and HIV infectious disease: Several studies have documented an increase in IFN-α mRNA from peripheral pDCs in HIV infection, complemented by markedly higher IFN-α levels in serum from untreated acutely and chronically infected patients.20, 26, 27 HIV infection may even induce a distinct signature of IFN-α activity, with evidence suggesting that specific upregulation of the IFN-α subtypes, IFN-α2 and IFN-α6, is observed in both the acute and chronic phases of untreated disease.28