Induction of cytokines in glial cells by trans activator of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I.
Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I), the cause of adult T-cell leukemia, is also associated with the neurological disease, TSP/HAM (tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-I associated myelopathy). The HTLV-I genome encodes a protein, Tax, that trans activates viral and cellular gene transcription. To understand the mechanisms for the production of cytokines by HTLV-I in nervous tissue, we examined their expression in glial cells which carried the Tax-expressing vector. We demonstrated that Tax expression enhanced the production by glial cells of interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and transforming growth factor (TGF) beta. We suggest that the excessive production of cytokines in nervous tissue may play a role in pathogenesis of TSP/HAM. Glial cells that carry the tax gene may provide a model useful for in vitro study of the mechanism of production of cytokines in the nervous system.
Sawada
M
M
Division of Cell Biology, Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, Aichi, Japan.
Suzumura
A
A
Kondo
N
N
Marunouchi
T
T
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D016356:Gene Products, tax / Q000502:physiology*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051381:Rats; D014162:Transfection
D016207:Cytokines; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D016356:Gene Products, tax