Suppression of interleukin-2 and interleukin-2 receptor expression in Jurkat cells stably expressing the human immunodeficiency virus Tat protein.
The Jurkat T cell line was stably transfected with an Epstein-Barr virus-based episomal replicon designed to express high levels of the HIV-1 Tat protein. After selection in hygromycin B, high-level Tat activity was detected in 3 of 18 transfected cell lines. After stimulation with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), Tat transfectants with high Tat expression showed diminished expression of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and the interleukin-2 receptor alpha chain (IL-2R) when compared to untransfected Jurkat cells or Jurkat cell lines transfected with the parent control plasmid. Sublines derived from the high-level Tat transfectants with reduced Tat activity showed normalization of PHA/PMA-induced IL-2 expression. Northern analysis showed diminished expression of IL-2 and IL-2R mRNA in the stimulated Tat transfectants. Inhibition of IL-2 and IL-2R expression by the HIV-1 Tat protein may contribute to the immune suppression that characterizes HIV-1 infection.
Purvis
S F
SF
Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Ohio 44106.
Georges
D L
DL
Williams
T M
TM
Lederman
M M
MM
D002460:Cell Line; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D015696:Gene Products, tat / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D013489:Suppression, Genetic; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; D014162:Transfection
D015696:Gene Products, tat; D007376:Interleukin-2; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate