title: The oral commensal, Streptococcus gordonii, synergizes with Tat protein to induce HIV-1 promoter activation in monocytes/macrophages.
abstract: Trans-activator of transcription (Tat) is an HIV-1 protein essential for viral replication. Oral periodontopathogens (e.g. Fusobacterium nucleatum) enhance HIV-1LTR promoter activation in monocytes/macrophages in absence of Tat; however, some oral commensals fail to trigger this response. We sought to determine the effect of Tat on HIV-1LTR promoter activation induced by the representative oral commensal Streptococcus gordonii in monocytes/macrophages. S. gordonii enhanced HIV-1LTR reactivation in THP89GFP (Tat(+)), but not in BF24 (Tat(-)) cells. Interestingly, S. gordonii, but not Streptococcus sanguinis enhanced HIV-1LTR activation in the presence of recombinant Tat in BF24 cells. This response correlated with IL-8 but not TNFα or IL-6 production, and was abrogated by the NFκB inhibitor BAY 11-7082. Kinetics of NFκB-RelA activation did not explain the S. gordonii-induced HIV-1LTR activation in presence of Tat. These results suggest that S. gordonii-induced HIV-1 reactivation in monocytes/macrophages is Tat-dependent and appears to involve NFκB activation.
authors: Center for Oral Health Research, College of Dentistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA. ogonz2@email.uky.edu
authors: Octavio A
authors: OA
authors: González
authors: Jeffrey L
authors: JL
authors: Ebersole
authors: Chifu B
authors: CB
authors: Huang
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D016325:HIV Long Terminal Repeat / Q000235:genetics; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D008262:Macrophage Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D054773:Streptococcus gordonii / Q000502:physiology*; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus