title: HIV-1 Tat activates dual Nox pathways leading to independent activation of ERK and JNK MAP kinases.
abstract: Human immunodeficiency virus, type 1 Tat is known to exert pleiotropic effects on the vascular endothelium through mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases, although the signaling pathways leading to MAP kinase activation are incompletely understood. We focused on proximal pathways potentially governing downstream MAP kinase activity by Tat. Within 2 min, Tat activated both Ras and Rho GTPases in endothelial cells, leading to ERK phosphorylation by 10 min. Notably, Rac1 was necessary for downstream activation of RhoA and both Rac1 and RhoA acted upstream of the Ras/ERK cassette. Antioxidants and the oxidase inhibitor diphenylene iodonium blocked ERK phosphorylation, but specific interference with the canonical Nox2 oxidase had no effect on ERK. Instead, knock down of the novel oxidase Nox4 completely suppressed Tat-dependent Ras and ERK activation downstream of Rac1 and RhoA. Conversely, interference with Rac1, PAK1, and Nox2 blocked JNK phosphorylation, whereas RhoA(N19) and Nox4 knock down did not. Further, knock down of Nox2, but not Nox4, blocked Tat-induced cytoskeletal rearrangement, whereas knock down of Nox4, but not Nox2, blocked Tat-dependent proliferation. Rac1, therefore, bifurcates Tat signaling, leading to concurrent but separate Nox4-dependent Ras/ERK activation, and Nox2-dependent JNK activation. Tat signaling, therefore, provides an example of Nox-specific differential control of MAP kinase pathways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
authors.forename: Ru Feng
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Zhenyi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.forename: Lance S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Terada
mesh_terms: D049109:Cell Proliferation; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000821:virology; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D000074662:NADPH Oxidase 2; D000074663:NADPH Oxidase 4; D019255:NADPH Oxidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D015398:Signal Transduction; D018631:ras Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; C056558:CYBB protein, human; D000074662:NADPH Oxidase 2; D000074663:NADPH Oxidase 4; D019255:NADPH Oxidases; C498910:NOX4 protein, human; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4; D018631:ras Proteins