Cell cycle dysregulation by HTLV-I: role of the tax oncoprotein.
HTLV-I is a human retrovirus which is the etiological agent for adult T-cell leukemia. The virus encodes a 40 kDa oncoprotein, Tax, which has no cellular counterpart. Findings from several laboratories over the past decade have shown that over-expression of the Tax oncoprotein is wholly sufficient to transform animal cells. Emerging evidence supports that Tax transforms cells through dysregulation of several cell cycle checkpoints. Here, we review extant data on how Tax targets cyclins, inhibitors of cyclin dependent kinase, as well as cellular sentries for DNA-damage.
Neuveut
Christine
C
Laboratoire de Recombinaison et Expression Genetique, Institut Pasteur, 28, rue du Dr Roux. 75724 Paris cedex 15, France.
Jeang
Kuan-Teh
KT
D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D016356:Gene Products, tax / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D016355:Genes, pX / Q000502:physiology; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans
D016356:Gene Products, tax