Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 Tax transactivates the human proliferating cell nuclear antigen promoter.

The human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) transforming protein, Tax, is a potent transactivator of both viral and cellular gene expression. The ability of Tax to transform cells is believed to depend on its transactivation of cellular-growth-regulatory genes. Expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is intimately linked to cell growth and DNA replication and repair. By testing a series of PCNA promoter deletion constructs, we have demonstrated that the PCNA promoter can be transactivated by Tax. The smallest construct that was activated did not include the ATF/CRE binding site at nucleotide -50, and mutations in the ATF/CRE element in the context of a larger promoter were still activated by Tax. In addition, a Tax mutant that is defective for activation of the CRE pathway retained the ability to activate the -397 promoter construct. When a series of linker scanner mutations that span the region from nucleotide -45 to -7 were assayed, mutations in and around a repeat sequence were found to abolish Tax transactivation. Multimerized copies of either half of the repeat were Tax responsive. A single protein complex was shown to bind specifically to the Tax-responsive region, and the binding of this complex was enhanced in the presence of Tax. These results demonstrate that the PCNA promoter contains a Tax-responsive element located between nucleotides -45 and -7 whose sequence is different from those of other, previously identified Tax-responsive elements. The ability of Tax to activate the PCNA promoter may play an important role in cellular transformation by HTLV-1.     

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 tax attenuates the ATM-mediated cellular DNA damage response

Genomic instability, a hallmark of leukemic cells, is associated with malfunctioning cellular responses to DNA damage caused by defective cell cycle checkpoints and/or DNA repair. Adult T-cell leukemia, which can result from infection with human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), is associated with extensive genomic instability that has been attributed to the viral oncoprotein Tax. How Tax influences cellular responses to DNA damage to mediate genomic instability, however, remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the effect of Tax on cellular pathways involved in recognition and repair of DNA double-strand breaks. Premature attenuation of ATM kinase activity and reduced association of MDC1 with repair foci were observed in Tax-expressing cells. Following ionizing radiation-induced S-phase checkpoint activation, Tax-expressing cells progressed more rapidly than non-Tax-expressing cells toward DNA replication. These results demonstrate that Tax expression may allow premature DNA replication in the presence of genomic lesions. Attempts to replicate in the presence of these lesions would result in gradual accumulation of mutations, leading to genome instability and cellular transformation.     

Human T-cell leukemia virus-I tax oncoprotein functionally targets a subnuclear complex involved in cellular DNA damage-response

The virally encoded oncoprotein Tax has been implicated in HTLV-1-mediated cellular transformation. The exact mechanism by which this protein contributes to the oncogenic process is not known. However, it has been hypothesized that Tax induces genomic instability via repression of cellular DNA repair. We examined the effect of de novo Tax expression upon the cell cycle, because appropriate activation of cell cycle checkpoints is essential to a robust damage-repair response. Upon induction of tax expression, Jurkat T-cells displayed a pronounced accumulation in G2/M that was reversible by caffeine. We examined the G2-specific checkpoint signaling response in these cells and found activation of the ATM/chk2-mediated pathway, whereas the ATR/chk1-mediated response was unaffected. Immunoprecipitation with anti-chk2 antibody results in co-precipitation of Tax demonstrating a direct interaction of Tax with a chk2-containing complex. We also show that Tax targets a discrete nuclear site and co-localizes with chk2 and not chk1. This nuclear site, previously identified as Tax Speckled Structures (TSS), also contains the early damage response factor 53BP1. The recruitment of 53BP1 to TSS is dependent upon ATM signaling and requires expression of Tax. Specifically, Tax expression induces redistribution of diffuse nuclear 53BP1 to the TSS foci. Taken together these data suggest that the TSS describe a unique nuclear site involved in DNA damage recognition, repair response, and cell cycle checkpoint activation. We suggest that association of Tax with this multifunctional subnuclear site results in disruption of a subset of the site-specific activities and contributes to cellular genomic instability.     

Oxidative damage-induced PCNA complex formation is efficient in xeroderma pigmentosum group A but reduced in Cockayne syndrome group B cells.

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), a processivity factor for DNA polymerases delta and epsilon, is essential for both DNA replication and repair. PCNA is required in the resynthesis step of nucleotide excision repair (NER). After UV irradiation, PCNA translocates into an insoluble protein complex, most likely associated with the nuclear matrix. It has not previously been investigated in vivo whether PCNA complex formation also takes place after oxidative stress. In this study, we have examined the involvement of PCNA in the repair of oxidative DNA damage. PCNA complex formation was studied in normal human cells after treatment with hydrogen peroxide, which generates a variety of oxidative DNA lesions. PCNA was detected by two assays, immunofluorescence and western blot analyses. We observed that PCNA redistributes from a soluble to a DNA-bound form during the repair of oxidative DNA damage. PCNA complex formation was analyzed in two human natural mutant cell lines defective in DNA repair: xeroderma pigmentosum group A (XP-A) and Cockayne syndrome group B (CS-B). XP-A cells are defective in overall genome NER while CS-B cells are defective only in the preferential repair of active genes. Immunofluorescent detection of PCNA complex formation was similar in normal and XP-A cells, but was reduced in CS-B cells. Consistent with this observation, western blot analysis in CS-B cells showed a reduction in the ratio of PCNA relocated as compared to normal and XP-A cells. The efficient PCNA complex formation observed in XP-A cells following oxidative damage suggests that formation of PCNA-dependent repair foci may not require the XPA gene product. The reduced PCNA complex formation observed in CS-B cells suggests that these cells are defective in the processing of oxidative DNA damage.     

Role of p21WAF1 in the cellular response to UV

UV or g irradiation mediated DNA damage activates p53 and induces cell cycle arrest. Induction of cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor p21WAF1 by p53 after DNA damage plays an important role in cell cycle arrest after gamma irradiation. The p53 mediated cell cycle arrest has been postulated to allow cells to repair the DNA damage. Repair of UV damaged DNA occurs primarily by the nucleotide excision pathway (NER). It is known that p21WAF1 binds PCNA and inhibits PCNA function in DNA replication. PCNA is also required for repair by NER but there have been conflicting reports on whether p21WAF1 can inhibit PCNA function in NER. It has therefore been difficult to integrate the UV induced cell cycle arrest by p21 in the context of repair of UV damaged DNA. A recent study reported that p21WAF1 protein is degraded after low but not high doses of UV irradiation, that cell cycle arrest after UV is p21 independent, and that at low dose UV irradiation p21WAF1 degradation is essential for optimal DNA repair. These findings shed new light on the role of p21 in the cellular response to UV and clarify some outstanding issues concerning p21WAF1 function.     

Role of p21WAF1 in the Cellular Response to UV

UV or gamma irradiation mediated DNA damage activates p53 and induces cell cycle arrest. Induction of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21WAF1 by p53 after DNA damage plays an important role in cell cycle arrest after gamma irradiation. The p53 mediated cell cycle arrest has been postulated to allow cells to repair the DNA damage. Repair of UV damaged DNA occurs primarily by the nucleotide excision pathway (NER). It is known that p21WAF1 binds PCNA and inhibits PCNA function in DNA replication. PCNA is also required for repair by NER but there have been conflicting reports on whether p21 can inhibit PCNA function in NER. It has therefore been difficult to integrate the UV induced cell cycle arrest by p21 in the context of repair of UV damaged DNA. A recent study reported that p21WAF1 protein is degraded after low but not high doses of UV irradiation, that cell cycle arrest after UV is p21 independent, and that at low dose UV irradiation p21 degradation is essential for optimal DNA repair. These findings shed new light on the role of p21 in the cellular response to UV and clarify some outstanding issues concerning p21 function.     

Mouse model for the equilibration interaction between the host immune system and human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 gene expression

To study the involvement of immune responses against Tax of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) in the growth of and gene suppression in Tax-expressing tumor cells in vivo, we established a model system involving C57BL/6J mice and a syngeneic lymphoma cell line, EL4. When mice were immunized by DNA-based immunization with Tax expression plasmids, solid tumor formation upon subcutaneous inoculation of EL4 cells expressing green fluorescent protein-fused Tax (Gax) under the control of the HTLV-1 enhancer was strongly inhibited, and in vitro analysis showed that DNA immunization elicited cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses but not production of antibodies to Tax protein. Since EL4/Gax cells inoculated into DNA-immunized mice were not completely eradicated but were maintained as small solid tumors for a long period, there appeared to be a certain equilibrium between CTL activity and the growth of Gax-expressing cells. With such a balance, expression of the Gax gene in EL4/Gax cells was strongly suppressed. These results suggested that gene expression under the control of the HTLV-1 long terminal repeat and Tax is silenced in vivo, resulting in an equilibrium between viral expression and the host immune system. Such a balance would represent a status of persistent infection by HTLV-1 in virus-infected individuals during the latency period.     

HTLV-1 Tax-mediated TAK1 activation involves TAB2 adapter protein

Human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) Tax is an oncoprotein that plays a crucial role in the proliferation and transformation of HTLV-1-infected T lymphocytes. It has recently been reported that Tax activates a MAPKKK family, TAK1. However, the molecular mechanism of Tax-mediated TAK1 activation is not well understood. In this report, we investigated the role of TAK1-binding protein 2 (TAB2) in Tax-mediated TAK1 activation. We found that TAB2 physically interacts with Tax and augments Tax-induced NF-κB activity. Tax and TAB2 cooperatively activate TAK1 when they are coexpressed. Furthermore, TAK1 activation by Tax requires TAB2 binding as well as ubiquitination of Tax. We also found that the overexpression of TRAF2, 5, or 6 strongly induces Tax ubiquitination. These results suggest that TAB2 may be critically involved in Tax-mediated activation of TAK1 and that NF-κB-activating TRAF family proteins are potential cellular E3 ubiquitin ligases toward Tax.     

The C-terminal Domain of p21 Inhibits Nucleotide Excision Repair In Vitro and In Vivo

The protein p21(Cip1, Waf1, Sdi1) is a potent inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). p21 can also block DNA replication through its interaction with the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), which is an auxiliary factor for polymerase delta. PCNA is also implicated in the repair resynthesis step of nucleotide excision repair (NER). Previous studies have yielded contradictory results on whether p21 regulates NER through its interaction with PCNA. Resolution of this controversy is of interest because it would help understand how DNA repair and replication are regulated. Hence, we have investigated the effect of p21 on NER both in vitro and in vivo using purified fragments of p21 containing either the CDK-binding domain (N terminus) or the PCNA binding domain (C terminus) of the protein. In the in vitro studies, DNA repair synthesis was measured in extracts from normal human fibroblasts using plasmids damaged by UV irradiation. In the in vivo studies, we used intact and permeabilized cells. The results show that the C terminus of the p21 protein inhibits NER both in vitro and in vivo. These are the first in vivo studies in which this question has been examined, and we demonstrate that inhibition of NER by p21 is not merely an artificial in vitro effect. A 50% inhibition of in vitro NER occurred at a 50:1 molar ratio of p21 C-terminus fragment to PCNA monomer. p21 differentially regulates DNA repair and replication, with repair being much less sensitive to inhibition than replication. Our in vivo results suggest that the inhibition occurs at the resynthesis step of the repair process. It also appears that preassembly of PCNA at repair sites mitigates the inhibitory effect of p21. We further demonstrate that the inhibition of DNA repair is mediated via binding of p21 to PCNA. The N terminus of p21 had no effect on DNA repair, and the inhibition of DNA repair by the C terminus of p21 was relieved by the addition of purified PCNA protein.     

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 tax oncoprotein suppression of multilineage hematopoiesis of CD34+ cells in vitro

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and HTLV-2 are highly related viruses that differ in disease manifestation. HTLV-1 is the etiologic agent of adult T-cell leukemia and lymphoma, an aggressive clonal malignancy of human CD4-bearing T lymphocytes. Infection with HTLV-2 has not been conclusively linked to lymphoproliferative disorders. We previously showed that human hematopoietic progenitor (CD34(+)) cells can be infected by HTLV-1 and that proviral sequences were maintained after differentiation of infected CD34(+) cells in vitro and in vivo. To investigate the role of the Tax oncoprotein of HTLV on hematopoiesis, bicistronic lentiviral vectors were constructed encoding the HTLV-1 or HTLV-2 tax genes (Tax1 and Tax2, respectively) and the green fluorescent protein marker gene. Human hematopoietic progenitor (CD34(+)) cells were infected with lentivirus vectors, and transduced cells were cultured in a semisolid medium permissive for the development of erythroid, myeloid, and primitive progenitor colonies. Tax1-transduced CD34(+) cells displayed a two- to fivefold reduction in the total number of hematopoietic clonogenic colonies that arose in vitro, in contrast to Tax2-transduced cells, which showed no perturbation of hematopoiesis. The ratio of colony types that developed from Tax1-transduced CD34(+) cells remained unaffected, suggesting that Tax1 inhibited the maturation of relatively early, uncommitted hematopoietic stem cells. Since previous reports have linked Tax1 expression with initiation of apoptosis, lentiviral vector-mediated transduction of Tax1 or Tax2 was investigated in CEM and Jurkat T-cell lines. Ectopic expression of either Tax1 or Tax2 failed to induce apoptosis in T-cell lines. These data demonstrate that Tax1 expression perturbs development and maturation of pluripotent hematopoietic progenitor cells, an activity that is not displayed by Tax2, and that the suppression of hematopoiesis is not attributable to induction of apoptosis. Since hematopoietic progenitor cells may serve as a latently infected reservoir for HTLV infection in vivo, the different abilities of HTLV-1 and -2 Tax to suppress hematopoiesis may play a role in the respective clinical outcomes after infection with HTLV-1 or -2.