HIV Nef inhibits T cell migration.
Nef is a viral regulatory protein of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that has been shown to contribute to disease progression. Among its putative effects on T cell functions are the down-regulation of CD4 and major histocompatibility class I surface molecules. These effects occur in part via Nef interactions with intracellular signaling molecules. We sought to better characterize the effects of HIV Nef on T cell function by examining chemotaxis in response to stromal cell-derived factor-1alpha (SDF-1alpha) as well as CXCR4 signaling molecules. Here, we report the novel observation that HIV Nef inhibited chemotaxis in response to SDF-1alpha in both Jurkat T cells and primary peripheral CD4+ T lymphocytes. Our data indicate that HIV Nef altered critical downstream molecules in the CXCR4 pathway, including focal adhesion kinases. These findings suggest that HIV Nef may blunt the T cell response to chemokines. Because T lymphocyte migration is an integral component of host defense, HIV Nef may thereby contribute to the pathogenesis of AIDS.
D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D002465:Cell Movement; D054377:Chemokine CXCL12; D019743:Chemokines, CXC / Q000502:physiology; D015693:Gene Products, nef / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D006801:Humans; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
C515255:CXCL12 protein, human; D054377:Chemokine CXCL12; D019743:Chemokines, CXC; D015693:Gene Products, nef; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins