Homotypic cell-cell adhesion induced by human T cell leukemia virus type 1 tax protein in T cell lines.
Cell-cell adhesion is involved in the processes of cell growth, activation and migration, and inflammation. T cells infected with human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) exhibit a high degree of homotypic cell-cell adhesion in vitro. In this study, we investigated the involvement of the viral protein Tax in such process. Expression of Tax in an interleukin (IL)-2-dependent mouse T cell line (CTLL-2) increased homotypic cell-cell adhesion; however, less cell adhesion was induced by Tax than that observed in HTLV-1-infected T cell lines. Moreover, Tax induced cell-cell adhesion in a human T cell line, in which the expression of Tax is inducible. Microscopic examination also revealed Tax-induced morphologic changes, including rounding of CTLL-2 cells, increased cell volume, and increased nucleus size. Taken together, our results suggest that Tax induces cell-cell adhesion and morphologic changes in HTLV-1-infected cells. Tax may thus play a role in persistent HTLV-1 infection and the pathogenesis of associated disease.
Takahashi
Toshiyuki
T
Division of Virology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 1-757 Asahimachi-Dori, Niigata, 951-8510, Japan.
Higuchi
Masaya
M
Fukushi
Masaya
M
Oie
Masayasu
M
Ito
Masaaki
M
Fujii
Masahiro
M
D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002460:Cell Line; D016356:Gene Products, tax / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D051379:Mice; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology
D016356:Gene Products, tax; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha