Characterization of HIV-1 Tat proteins mutated in the transactivation domain for prophylactic and therapeutic application.
Previous work from our group showed that genetic immunization of mice with HIV-1 tat genes (tat22 and tat22/37), encoding Tat proteins mutated in the transactivation domain and lacking Tat-transactivating activity, evoke an immune response to wild-type Tat, both humoral and cellular. In the present work we report that the mutated Tat proteins localize within the cells, are released and taken up by the cells in a fashion similar to wild-type Tat. Moreover, the exogenous mutated Tat proteins interfere with the transactivating function of extracellular wild-type Tat. These results support the notion that tat22 and tat22/37 genes may represent good candidates for the development of an anti-HIV-1 vaccine, especially for HIV-1 infected patients.
Betti
M
M
Department of Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Ferrara, Via Luigi Borsari 46, 44100, Ferrara, Italy.
Voltan
R
R
Marchisio
M
M
Mantovani
I
I
Boarini
C
C
Nappi
F
F
Ensoli
B
B
Caputo
A
A
D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D015696:Gene Products, tat / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005814:Genes, Viral; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D014162:Transfection; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D015696:Gene Products, tat; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus