Human chromosome 12 is required for optimal interactions between Tat and TAR of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in rodent cells.

Levels of trans activation of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 long terminal repeat (HIV-1 LTR) by the virally encoded transactivator Tat show marked species-specific differences. For example, levels of transactivation observed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) rodent cells are 10-fold lower than those in human cells or in CHO cells that contain the human chromosome 12. Thus, the human chromosome 12 codes for a protein or proteins that are required for optimal Tat activity. Here, the function of these cellular proteins was analyzed by using a number of modified HIV-1 LTRs and Tats. Neither DNA-binding proteins that bind to the HIV-1 LTR nor proteins that interact with the activation domain of Tat could be implicated in this defect. However, since species-specific differences were no longer observed with hybrid proteins that contain the activation domain of Tat fused to heterologous RNA-binding proteins, optimal interactions between Tat and the trans-acting responsive RNA (TAR) must depend on this factor(s).     

TAR loop-dependent human immunodeficiency virus trans activation requires factors encoded on human chromosome 12.

The trans-activator response region (TAR) RNA in the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and HIV-2 long terminal repeat forms stem-loop secondary structures in which the loop sequence is essential for trans activation. We investigated how the HIV trans-activation mechanism encoded on human chromosome 12 relates to the TAR RNA loop-dependent pathway. DNA transfection experiments showed that trans activation in human-hamster hybrid cells with the single human chromosome 12 and human T-cell lines was highly dependent on the native sequences of the HIV-1 TAR loop and the HIV-2 5' TAR loop. In nonhuman cell lines or hybrid cells without chromosome 12 that supported trans activation, the cellular mechanism was independent of the HIV-1 TAR loop and the response to mutations in the HIV-2 TAR loops differed from that found in human T-cell lines and human-hamster hybrid cells with chromosome 12. Our results suggest that the human chromosome 12 mechanism interacts directly with the TAR RNA loop or indirectly by regulating TAR RNA-binding proteins.     

Transcellular activation of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 long terminal repeat in T lymphocytes requires CD4-gp120 binding.

Cells expressing human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) tat can transactivate the HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) in cocultured T lymphocytes. In this report, we describe the molecular requirements for transcellular activation of the LTR in Jurkat cells. An analysis with deletion mutants and blocking antibodies demonstrated a requirement for env expression in addition to tat expression for transcellular activation to occur. The results suggest that the transient association of CD4 and gp120 in cocultured cells is required for tat-mediated transcellular activation. The events that follow CD4-gp120 binding in transactivation, however, do not require the gp120-neutralizing domain, in contrast to HIV-mediated fusion and infection. The consequences of this interaction on cellular function are currently under investigation.     

A human chromosome 12-associated 83-kilodalton cellular protein specifically binds to the loop region of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 trans-activation response element RNA.

trans activation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) involves the viral trans-activator protein (Tat) and a cellular factor(s) encoded on human chromosome 12 (HuChr12) that targets the trans-activation response element (TAR) in the viral long terminal repeat. Because nascent TAR RNA is predicted to form a secondary structure that specifically binds cellular proteins, we investigated the composition of the TAR RNA-protein complex for HuChr12-specific proteins. UV cross-linking of TAR RNA-nuclear protein complexes formed in vitro identified an 83-kDa protein in human cells and in a human-hamster hybrid cell containing only HuChr12. The 83-kDa TAR RNA-binding protein was absent in the parental hamster cells. TAR RNA mutations that inhibited binding of the 83-kDa protein in vitro also inhibited HuChr12-dependent Tat trans activation. These TAR mutations changed the native sequence or secondary structure of the TAR loop. The TAR RNA binding activity of the 83-kDa protein also correlated with a HuChr12-dependent increase in steady-state HIV-1 RNA expression during Tat trans activation. Our results suggest that either a species-specific 83-kDa TAR RNA loop-binding protein is directly encoded on HuChr12 or a HuChr12 protein(s) induces the expression of an 83-kDa TAR-binding protein in nonprimate cells.     

Characterization of murine monoclonal antibodies to the tat protein from human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

A panel of murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 trans-activator tat protein were characterized. The anti-tat MAbs were mapped to the different domains of the tat protein by Western blot (immunoblot) and Pepscan analyses. One-half of the MAbs tested mapped to the amino-terminal proline-rich region, and one-third of the MAbs tested mapped to the lysine-arginine-rich region of tat. The individual MAbs were tested for inhibition of tat-mediated trans activation, using a cell-based in vitro assay system. MAbs which mapped to the amino-terminal region of the tat protein demonstrated the highest degree of inhibition, whereas MAbs reactive to other portions of the molecule exhibited a less pronounced effect on tat function.     

Identification of an Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) cell adhesion site in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 transactivation protein, tat

Tat, the transactivation factor of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), contains the highly conserved tripeptide sequence Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) that characterizes sites for integrin-mediated cell adhesion. The tat protein was assayed for cell attachment activity by measuring the adhesion of monocytic, T lymphocytic, and skeletal muscle-derived cell lines to tat-coated substratum. All cell lines tested bound to tat in a dose-dependent manner and the tat cell adhesion required the RGD sequence because tat mutants constructed to contain an RGE or KGE tripeptide sequence did not mediate efficient cell adhesion. The tat-mediated cell attachment also required divalent cations and an intact cytoskeleton. In addition, cell adhesion to tat was inhibited in the presence of an RGD-containing peptide GRGDSPK or an anti-tat mAb that recognizes the RGD epitope. These results strongly suggest that cells are bound to tat through an integrin. Interestingly, myoblast cells bound to tat remained round, whereas the same cells attached through an integrin for a matrix protein typically flatten and spread. The role of this RGD-dependent cellular adhesion of tat in HIV-1 infection remains to be determined.     

Effects of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 nef and tat genes on rat PC12 pheochromocytoma cells

The regulatory genes nef and tat of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) were transferred into the rat pheochromocytoma cells (line PC12) under the control of the eukaryotic promoters. Proliferative activity of the PC12 cells transfected with the tat HIV-1 gene was substantially increased as compared to the control. Conversely, the nef gene introduced into the cultivated PC12 cell caused inhibition of their proliferative activity and formation of cell agglomerates resembling in morphology the multinuclear syncytial cells. Thus, our results suggest that the tat gene activates proliferation of the cultivated PC12 cells, whereas the nef gene inhibits proliferation of the same cells. We have obtained for the first time a direct indication for the possible role of the nef gene in formation of multinuclear T-lymphocyte and macrophage syncytium in HIV-1-infected patients. The HIV-1 nef and tat genes had no significant effect on the neuronal differentiation of the PC12 cells induced by the nerve growth factor (NGF).     

Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 2 transactivates the long terminal repeat of human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected subjects show a high incidence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. This suggests that EBV may function as a cofactor that affects HIV-1 activation and may play a major role in the progression of AIDS. To test this hypothesis, we generated two EBV-negative human B-cell lines that stably express the EBNA2 gene of EBV. These EBNA2-positive cell lines were transiently transfected with plasmids that carry either the wild type or deletion mutants of the HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) fused to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene. There was a consistently higher HIV-1 LTR activation in EBNA2-expressing cells than in control cells, which suggested that EBNA2 proteins could activate the HIV-1 promoter, possibly by inducing nuclear factors binding to HIV-1 cis-regulatory sequences. To test this possibility, we used CAT-based plasmids carrying deletions of the NF-kappa B (pNFA-CAT), Sp1 (pSpA-CAT), or TAR (pTAR-CAT) region of the HIV-1 LTR and retardation assays in which nuclear proteins from EBNA2-expressing cells were challenged with oligonucleotides encompassing the NF-kappa B or Sp1 region of the HIV-1 LTR. We found that both the NF-kappa B and the Sp1 sites of the HIV-1 LTR are necessary for EBNA2 transactivation and that increased expression resulted from the induction of NF-kappa B-like factors. Moreover, experiments with the TAR-deleted pTAR-CAT and with the tat-expressing pAR-TAT plasmids indicated that endogenous Tat-like proteins could participate in EBNA2-mediated activation of the HIV-1 LTR and that EBNA2 proteins can synergize with the viral tat transactivator. Transfection experiments with plasmids expressing the EBNA1, EBNA3, and EBNALP genes did not cause a significant HIV-1 LTR activation. Thus, it appears that among the latent EBV genes tested, EBNA2 was the only EBV gene active on the HIV-1 LTR. The transactivation function of EBNA2 was also observed in the HeLa epithelial cell line, which suggests that EBV and HIV-1 infection of non-B cells may result in HIV-1 promoter activation. Therefore, a specific gene product of EBV, EBNA2, can transactivate HIV-1 and possibly contribute to the clinical progression of AIDS.     

Species-specific, postentry barriers to primate immunodeficiency virus infection

By using replication-defective vectors derived from human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV(mac)), and murine leukemia virus (MuLV), all of which were pseudotyped with the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) G glycoprotein, the efficiency of postentry, early infection events was examined in target cells of several mammalian species. Titers of HIV-1 vectors were significantly lower than those of SIV(mac) and MuLV vectors in most cell lines and primary cells from Old World monkeys. By contrast, most New World monkey cells exhibited much lower titers for the SIV(mac) vector compared with those of the HIV-1 vector. Prosimian cells were resistant to both HIV-1 and SIV(mac) vectors, although the MuLV vector was able to infect these cells. Cells from other mammalian species were roughly equivalent in susceptibility to the three vectors, with the exception of rabbit cells, which were specifically resistant to the HIV-1 vector. The level of HIV-1 vector expression was very low in transduced cells of rodent, rabbit, cow, and pig origin. Early postentry restriction of primate immunodeficiency virus infection exhibits patterns largely coincident with species borders and applies to diverse cell types within an individual host, suggesting the involvement of species-specific, widely expressed cellular factors.     

Construction of recombinant murine retroviruses that express the human T-cell leukemia virus type II and human T-cell lymphotropic virus type III trans activator genes.

Recombinant retroviruses containing the trans activator genes of human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV) type II and human T-cell lymphotropic virus type III were constructed. The trans activator genes tat II and tat III were inserted into the murine retroviral vector pZIPNEOSV(X)1. Recombinant plasmids were transfected into the psi 2 and psi AM packaging cell lines that produce murine leukemia virions containing no retroviral RNA. Functional tat II and tat III gene products were expressed as demonstrated by trans activation of HTLV type I and II and human T-cell lymphotropic virus type III long terminal repeat-directed gene expression in the respective infected cells. Use of these recombinant vectors permits high-efficiency gene transfer into a wide variety of cells, thereby providing the opportunity to study the biochemical effects associated with tat II and tat III gene expression.     

Interaction of nuclear protein p140 with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 TAR RNA in mitogen-activated primary human T lymphocytes.

Several lines of evidence suggest that cellular proteins play a role during human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Tat-mediated trans activation. A recent report from this laboratory has shown that a 140-kDa HeLa nuclear protein (p140) binds specifically to the lower stem region of the Tat response element, TAR RNA. Since HIV-1 trans activation is most efficient in proliferating T cells, we investigated the binding of p140 to TAR RNA in unstimulated and mitogen-activated, G1-phase primary T lymphocytes. TAR RNA/protein-binding activity was low in resting cells but increased significantly within 2 h of activation and remained elevated for at least 48 h. Corresponding increases in p140 protein levels were observed with most but not all donors, suggesting that an additional nuclear factor(s) may be required for efficient binding of this protein to TAR RNA in activated T cells.