Reciprocal in vitro interactions between human herpesvirus-6 and HIV-1 Tat.
The transactivation induced by human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) on the HIV-1 promoter was studied both in the presence and in the absence of the retroviral transactivator protein (Tat) constitutively expressed in Jurkat cells. Jurkat-tat cells were infected with HHV-6, transfected with a plasmid containing HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR)/chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT), and CAT assays were performed. HHV-6 infection in the presence of Tat resulted in significantly higher LTR activation than that observed by Tat or HHV-6 alone, indicating that HHV-6 and Tat interact synergically. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that expression of HIV-1 tat inhibits HHV-6 replication, as shown by a 3.6-15.4-fold reduction in infectious yield. We suggest that HHV-6 could trigger HIV reactivation in HIV-seropositive patients which, in turn, could inhibit HHV-6 production.
Di Luca
D
D
Institute of Microbiology, University of Ferrara, Italy.
Secchiero
P
P
Bovenzi
P
P
Rotola
A
A
Caputo
A
A
Monini
P
P
Cassai
E
E
D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase / Q000235:genetics; D015696:Gene Products, tat / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D016325:HIV Long Terminal Repeat / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D014170:Transformation, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D014775:Virus Activation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
D015696:Gene Products, tat; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase