 The mass production of type 1 interferon may result in both positive and negative outcomes in response to HIV.Although type 1 interferon is efficient at facilitating maturation in pDCs and in killing infected T cells, excessive clearance of infected T cells may have detrimental effects and further weaken the patient's compromised immune system.pDCs themselves can be infected by HIV but are also capable of sensing viral markers such as ssRNA and are impaired in their interferon-producing capacities.