title: Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 Tax and cell cycle progression: role of cyclin D-cdk and p110Rb.
abstract: Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 is etiologically linked to the development of adult T-cell leukemia and various human neuropathies. The Tax protein of human T-cell leukemia virus type I has been implicated in cellular transformation. Like other oncoproteins, such as Myc, Jun, and Fos, Tax is a transcriptional activator. How it mechanistically dysregulates the cell cycle is unclear. Previously, it was suggested that Tax affects cell-phase transition by forming a direct protein-protein complex with p16(INK4a), thereby inactivating an inhibitor of G1-to-S-phase progression. Here we show that, in T cells deleted for p16(INK4a), Tax can compel an egress of cells from G0/G1 into S despite the absence of serum. We also show that in undifferentiated myocytes, expression of Tax represses cellular differentiation. In both settings, Tax expression was found to increase cyclin D-cdk activity and to enhance pRb phosphorylation. In T cells, a Tax-associated increase in steady-state E2F2 protein was also documented. In searching for a molecular explanation for these observations, we found that Tax forms a protein-protein complex with cyclin D3, whereas a point-mutated and transcriptionally inert Tax mutant failed to form such a complex. Interestingly, expression of wild-type Tax protein in cells was also correlated with the induction of a novel hyperphosphorylated cyclin D3 protein. Taken together, these findings suggest that Tax might directly influence cyclin D-cdk activity and function, perhaps by a route independent of cdk inhibitors such as p16(INK4a).
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-0460, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Neuveut
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Low
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maldarelli
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Majone
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grassmann
authors.forename: K T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Jeang
mesh_terms: D002453:Cell Cycle; D056743:Cyclin D3; D051358:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D016213:Cyclins / Q000378:metabolism; D050703:E2F2 Transcription Factor; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D016356:Gene Products, tax / Q000378:metabolism*; D018257:Helix-Loop-Helix Motifs; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1; D006801:Humans; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D015458:Leukemia, T-Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C534696:CCND3 protein, human; D056743:Cyclin D3; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D016213:Cyclins; D050703:E2F2 Transcription Factor; D016356:Gene Products, tax; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein; D014157:Transcription Factors; C495900:CDK4 protein, human; D051358:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases