The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 tat protein enhances Cryptosporidium parvum-induced apoptosis in cholangiocytes via a Fas ligand-dependent mechanism.
While Cryptosporidium parvum infection of the intestine has been reported in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals, biliary infection is seen primarily in adult AIDS patients and is associated with development of AIDS cholangiopathy. However, the mechanisms of pathogen-induced AIDS cholangiopathy remain unclear. Since we previously demonstrated that the Fas/Fas ligand (FasL) system is involved in paracrine-mediated C. parvum cytopathicity in cholangiocytes, we also tested the potential synergistic effects of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) transactivator of transcription (Tat)-mediated FasL regulation on C. parvum-induced apoptosis in cholangiocytes by semiquantitative reverse transcription-PCR, immunoblotting, immunofluorescence analysis, and immunogold electron microscopy. H69 cells do not express CXCR4 and CCR5, which are receptors required for direct HIV-1 viral infection. However, recombinant biologically active HIV-1-associated Tat protein increased FasL expression in the cytoplasm of cholangiocytes without a significant increase in apoptosis. We found that C. parvum-induced apoptosis was associated with translocation of intracellular FasL to the cell membrane surface and release of full-length FasL from infected H69 cells. Tat significantly (P < 0.05) increased C. parvum-induced apoptosis in bystander cells in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, Tat enhanced both C. parvum-induced FasL membrane translocation and release of full-length FasL. In addition, the FasL neutralizing antibody NOK-1 and the caspase-8 inhibitor Z-IETD-fmk both blocked C. parvum-induced apoptosis in cholangiocytes. The data demonstrated that HIV-1 Tat enhances C. parvum-induced cholangiocyte apoptosis via a paracrine-mediated, FasL-dependent mechanism. Our results suggest that concurrent active HIV replication, with associated production of Tat protein, and C. parvum infection synergistically increase cholangiocyte apoptosis and thus jointly contribute to AIDS-related cholangiopathies.
O'Hara
Steven P
SP
Miles and Shirley Fiterman Center for Digestive Diseases, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First Street, SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Small
Aaron J
AJ
Nelson
Jeremy B
JB
Badley
Andrew D
AD
Chen
Xian-Ming
XM
Gores
Gregory J
GJ
Larusso
Nicholas F
NF
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000166:cytology / Q000469:parasitology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry; D016785:Cryptosporidium parvum / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000737:chemistry; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000469:parasitology*; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D015696:Gene Products, tat / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D015696:Gene Products, tat; D009842:Oligopeptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C403753:benzyloxycarbonyl-isoleucyl-glutamyl-threonyl-aspartic acid fluoromethyl ketone