title: Inhibition of mixed lineage kinase 3 prevents HIV-1 Tat-mediated neurotoxicity and monocyte activation.
abstract: The HIV-1 gene products Tat and gp120 are toxic to neurons and can activate cells of myeloid origin, properties that are thought to contribute to the clinical manifestations of HIV-1-associated dementia (HAD). To investigate the intracellular signaling mechanisms involved in these events, the effect of Tat and gp120 on mixed lineage kinase (MLK) 3 activation was examined. Tat and gp120 were shown to induce autophosphorylation of MLK3 in primary rat neurons; this was abolished by the addition of an inhibitor of MLK3 (CEP1347). CEP1347 also enhanced survival of both rat and human neurons and inhibited the activation of human monocytes after exposure to Tat and gp120. Furthermore, overexpression of wild-type MLK3 led to the induction of neuronal death, whereas expression of a dominant negative MLK3 mutant protected neurons from the toxic effects of Tat. MLK3-dependent downstream signaling events were implicated in the neuroprotective and monocyte-deactivating pathways triggered by CEP1347. Thus, the inhibition of p38 MAPK and JNK protected neurons from Tat-induced apoptosis, whereas the inhibition of p38 MAPK, but not of JNK, was sufficient to prevent Tat- and gp120-mediated activation of monocytes. These results suggest that the normal function of MLK3 is compromised by HIV-1 neurotoxins (Tat, gp120), resulting in the activation of downstream signaling events that result in neuronal death and monocyte activation (with release of inflammatory cytokines). In aggregate, our data define MLK3 as a promising therapeutic target for intervention in HAD.
authors.affiliation: Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
authors.forename: Ziye
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sui
authors.forename: Shongshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sniderhan
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reisinger
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Litzburg
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schifitto
authors.forename: Harris A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Gelbard
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dewhurst
authors.forename: Sanjay B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Maggirwar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000821:virology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000821:virology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D015696:Gene Products, tat / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity*; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000633:toxicity; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D000097767:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinase Kinase 11
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D002227:Carbazoles; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D015696:Gene Products, tat; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D007211:Indoles; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D000097767:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinase Kinase 11; C106592:3,9-bis((ethylthio)methyl)-K-252a