title: HIV-1, HTLV-I and the interleukin-2 receptor: insights into transcriptional control.
abstract: In this study, we present direct evidence for the binding of the inducible cellular protein, HIVEN86A, to a 12-bp element present in the IL-2R alpha promoter. This element shares significant sequence similarity with the NF-kappa B binding sites present in the HIV-1 and kappa immunoglobulin enhancers. Transient transfection studies indicate that this kappa B element is both necessary and sufficient to confer tax or mitogen inducibility to a heterologous promoter. As summarized schematically in Fig. 5, the findings suggest that the HIVEN86A protein may play a central role in the activation of cellular genes required for T-cell growth, specifically the IL-2R alpha gene. In addition, the induced HIVEN86A protein also binds to a similar sequence present in the HIV-1 LTR leading to enhanced viral gene expression and ultimately T-cell death. Thus, mitogen activation of the HIV-1 LTR appears to involve the same inducible transcription factor(s) that normally regulates IL-2R alpha gene expression and T-cell growth. These findings further underscore the importance of the state of T-cell activation in the regulation of HIV-1 replication. Our results also demonstrate that HIVEN86A is induced by the tax protein of HTLV-I. Thus, in HTLV-I infected cells, normally the tight control of the transient expression of the IL-2R alpha gene is lost. The constitutive high-level display of IL-2 receptors may play a role in leukemic transformation mediated by HTLV-I (ATL). Apparently by the same mechanism, the tax protein also activates the HIV-1 LTR through the induction of HIVEN86A.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Sandoz Forschungsinstitut, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Böhnlein
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lowenthal
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wano
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Franza
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Ballard
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Greene
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000502:physiology; D011485:Protein Binding; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014162:Transfection / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D014157:Transcription Factors; D004247:DNA