title: Transcriptional activation of the human immunodeficiency virus long terminal repeat sequences by tumor necrosis factor.
abstract: The recombinant plasmid pBHIV-1 carrying the long terminal repeat (LTR) of the human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1), linked to the reported chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) gene, was introduced into human and rat fibroblasts. Stable transfectants were obtained which were resistant to genetecin and expressed CAT-activity from the HIV-1 LTR. The response to TNF alpha was studied. It was found that, at the optimum concentration of 100 IU/ml in human and 1000 IU/ml in rat fibroblasts, the expression of CAT was stimulated by 2.1 and 2.5-fold respectively. Our findings suggest that TNF-alpha in physiological concentrations can transcriptionally activate the HIV-1 LTR sequences and this may play an important role in the pathogenesis of HIV infection.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biological Research and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zoumpourlis
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Eliopoulos
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Spandidos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000494:pharmacology; D016325:HIV Long Terminal Repeat / Q000187:drug effects*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D014162:Transfection; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D005839:Gentamicins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C010680:antibiotic G 418; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase