The human T-cell leukemia virus type I Tax protein induces apoptosis which is blocked by the Bcl-2 protein

HTLV-1 Tax Tug-of-War: Cellular Senescence and Death or Cellular Transformation

Human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a retrovirus associated with a lymphoproliferative disease known as adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL). HTLV-1 infection efficiently transforms human T cells in vivo and in vitro. The virus does not transduce a proto-oncogene, nor does it integrate into tumor-promoting genomic sites. Instead, HTLV-1 uses a random mutagenesis model, resulting in cellular transformation. Expression of the viral protein Tax is critical for the immortalization of infected cells by targeting specific cellular signaling pathways. However, Tax is highly immunogenic and represents the main target for the elimination of virally infected cells by host cytotoxic T cells (CTLs). In addition, Tax expression in naïve cells induces pro-apoptotic signals and has been associated with the induction of non-replicative cellular senescence. This review will explore these conundrums and discuss the mechanisms used by the Tax viral oncoprotein to influence life-and-death cellular decisions and affect HTLV-1 pathogenesis.

Hepatitis B doubly spliced protein (HBDSP) promotes hepatocellular carcinoma cell apoptosis via ETS1/GATA2/YY1-mediated p53 transcription

IMPORTANCE

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) spliced variants are associated with viral persistence or pathogenicity. Hepatitis B doubly spliced protein (HBDSP), which has been previously reported as a pleiotropic transactivator protein, can potentially serve as an HBV virulence factor. However, the underlying mechanisms of HBDSP in HBV-associated liver diseases remain to be elucidated. In this study, we revealed that HBDSP promotes cellular apoptosis and induces wt-p53-dependent apoptotic signaling pathway in wt-p53 hepatocellular cells by transactivating p53 transcription, and increases the release of HBV progeny. Therefore, HBDSP may promote the HBV particles release through wt-p53-dependent hepatocellular apoptosis. Our findings suggest that blocking HBDSP-induced wt-p53-dependent apoptosis might have therapeutic values for chronic hepatitis B.

Does HTLV-1 Infection Show Phenotypes Found in Sjögren's Syndrome?

Viruses are a possible cause for Sjögren's syndrome (SS) as an environmental factor related to SS onset, which exhibits exocrine gland dysfunction and the emergence of autoantibodies. Although retroviruses may exhibit lymphocytic infiltration into exocrine glands, human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) has been postulated to be a causative agent for SS. Transgenic mice with HTLV-1 genes showed sialadenitis resembling SS, but their phenotypic symptoms differed based on the adopted region of HTLV-1 genes. The dominance of tax gene differed in labial salivary glands (LSGs) of SS patients with HTLV 1-associated myelopathy (HAM) and adult T-cell leukemia. Although HTLV-1 was transmitted to salivary gland epithelial cells (SGECs) by a biofilm-like structure, no viral synapse formation was observed. After infection to SGECs derived from SS patients, adhesion molecules and migration factors were time-dependently released from infected SGECs. The frequency of the appearance of autoantibodies including anti-Ro/SS-A, La/SS-B antibodies in SS patients complicated with HAM is unknown; the observation of less frequent ectopic germinal center formation in HTLV-1-seropositive SS patients was a breakthrough. In addition, HTLV-1 infected cells inhibited B-lymphocyte activating factor or C-X-C motif chemokine 13 through direct contact with established follicular dendritic cell-like cells. These findings show that HTLV-1 is directly involved in the pathogenesis of SS.

HTLV-1 Replication and Adult T Cell Leukemia Development

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) was discovered in 1980 as the first, and to date, the only retrovirus that causes human cancer. While HTLV-1 infection is generally asymptomatic, 3-5% of infected individuals develop a T cell neoplasm known as adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) decades after infection. Since its discovery, HTLV-1 has served as a model for understanding retroviral oncogenesis, transcriptional regulation, cellular signal transduction, and cell-associated viral infection and spread. Much of the initial research was focused on the viral trans-activator/oncoprotein, Tax. Over the past decade, the study of HTLV-1 has entered the genomic era. With the development of new systems for studying HTLV-1 infection and pathogenesis, the completion of the whole genome, exome and transcriptome sequencing analyses of ATL, and the discovery of HBZ as another HTLV-1 oncogene, many established concepts about how HTLV-1 infects, persists and causes disease have undergone substantial revision. This chapter seeks to integrate our current understanding of the mechanisms of action of Tax and HBZ with the comprehensive genomic information of ATL to provide an overview of how HTLV-1 infects, replicates and causes leukemia.

Assessment of HTLV-1 proviral load, LAT, BIM, c-FOS and RAD51 gene expression in adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma

Adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is a life-threatening malignancy of HTLV-1 infected Th lymphocytes. In the present study host-virus interactions were investigated by assessment of HTLV-1 proviral load (PVL) and host gene expression. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 18 ATLL, 10 HAM/TSP patients and 18 HTLV-1 asymptomatic carriers (ACs). DNA and mRNA of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells were extracted for PVL and LAT, BIM, c-FOS and RAD51 gene expression measurement using qRT-PCR. The mean PVL in ATLL patients was 11,430 ± 3770 copies/10⁴ which was statistically higher than ACs, 530 ± 119 copies/10⁴, (p < 0.001). The expression of BIM, and c-FOS in ATLL patients were higher than HTLV-1 ACs; however, there were no statistically significant differences. The expression of RAD51 as an essential player on DNA repair showed around 160 times increase in ATLL group (166 ± 95) compared to ACs (1.04 ± 0.34) which is statistically significant (p < 0.001). Interestingly, there was a positive correlation between RAD51 expression and HTLV-PVL. The expression of LAT as a central adaptor in TCR signaling interestingly was around 36 times higher in ATLL group than ACs (ATLL; 41.33 ± 19.91 vs. ACs; 1.15 ± 0.22, p < 0.001). This finding showed that TCR signaling pathway mainly provides the growth factors for transformed cells. Furthermore, the overexpression of RAD51 which has been induced in HTLV-1 infected cells as a consequence of virus replication is not able to overcome the DNA damage toward cell transformation.

HTLV-1 Infection and Adult T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma-A Tale of Two Proteins: Tax and HBZ

HTLV-1 (Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1) is a complex human delta retrovirus that currently infects 10–20 million people worldwide. While HTLV-1 infection is generally asymptomatic, 3%–5% of infected individuals develop a highly malignant and intractable T-cell neoplasm known as adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) decades after infection. How HTLV-1 infection progresses to ATL is not well understood. Two viral regulatory proteins, Tax and HTLV-1 basic zipper protein (HBZ), encoded by the sense and antisense viral transcripts, respectively, are thought to play indispensable roles in the oncogenic process of ATL. This review focuses on the roles of Tax and HBZ in viral replication, persistence, and oncogenesis. Special emphasis is directed towards recent literature on the mechanisms of action of these two proteins and the roles of Tax and HBZ in influencing the outcomes of HTLV-1 infection including senescence induction, viral latency and persistence, genome instability, cell proliferation, and ATL development. Attempts are made to integrate results from cell-based studies of HTLV-1 infection and studies of HTLV-1 proviral integration site preference, clonality, and clonal expansion based on high throughput DNA sequencing. Recent data showing that Tax hijacks key mediators of DNA double-strand break repair signaling—the ubiquitin E3 ligase, ring finger protein 8 (RNF8) and the ubiquitin E2 conjugating enzyme (UBC13)—to activate the canonical nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B-cells (NF-κB) and other signaling pathways will be discussed. A perspective on how the Tax-RNF8 signaling axis might impact genomic instability and how Tax may collaborate with HBZ to drive oncogenesis is provided.

HTLV-1 and leukemogenesis: virus-cell interactions in the development of adult T-cell leukemia

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) was originally discovered in the early 1980s. It is the first retrovirus to be unambiguously linked causally to a human cancer. HTLV-1 currently infects approximately 20 million people worldwide. In this chapter, we review progress made over the last 30 years in our understanding of HTLV-1 infection, replication, gene expression, and cellular transformation.

Tax-1 and Tax-2 similarities and differences: focus on post-translational modifications and NF-κB activation

Although human T cell leukemia virus type 1 and 2 (HTLV-1 and HTLV-2) share similar genetic organization, they have major differences in their pathogenesis and disease manifestation. HTLV-1 is capable of transforming T lymphocytes in infected patients resulting in adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma whereas HTLV-2 is not clearly associated with lymphoproliferative diseases. Numerous studies have provided accumulating evidence on the involvement of the viral transactivators Tax-1 versus Tax-2 in T cell transformation. Tax-1 is a potent transcriptional activator of both viral and cellular genes. Tax-1 post-translational modifications and specifically ubiquitylation and SUMOylation have been implicated in nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) activation and may contribute to its transformation capacity. Although Tax-2 has similar protein structure compared to Tax-1, the two proteins display differences both in their protein–protein interaction and activation of signal transduction pathways. Recent studies on Tax-2 have suggested ubiquitylation and SUMOylation independent mechanisms of NF-κB activation. In this present review, structural and functional differences between Tax-1 and Tax-2 will be summarized. Specifically, we will address their subcellular localization, nuclear trafficking and their effect on cellular regulatory proteins. A special attention will be given to Tax-1/Tax-2 post-translational modification such as ubiquitylation, SUMOylation, phosphorylation, acetylation, NF-κB activation, and protein–protein interactions involved in oncogenecity both in vivo and in vitro.

Human T Lymphotropic Virus Type I (HTLV-I) Oncogenesis: Molecular Aspects of Virus and Host Interactions in Pathogenesis of Adult T cell Leukemia/Lymphoma (ATL)

The study of tumor viruses paves the way for understanding the mechanisms of virus pathogenesis, including those involved in establishing infection and dissemination in the host tumor affecting immune-compromised patients. The processes ranging from viral infection to progressing malignancy are slow and usually insufficient for establishment of transformed cells that develop cancer in only a minority of infected subjects. Therefore, viral infection is usually not the only cause of cancer, and further environmental and host factors, may be implicated. HTLV-I, in particular, is considered as an oncovirus cause of lymphoproliferative disease such as adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) and disturbs the immune responses which results in HTLV-I associated meylopathy/tropical spastic parapresis (HAM/TSP). HTLV-I infection causes ATL in a small proportion of infected subjects (2-5%) following a prolonged incubation period (15-30 years) despite a strong adaptive immune response against the virus. Overall, these conditions offer a prospect to study the molecular basis of tumorgenicity in mammalian cells. In this review, the oncogencity of HTLV-I is being considered as an oncovirus in context of ATL.

Pro-apoptotic or anti-apoptotic property of X protein of hepatitis B virus is determined by phosphorylation at Ser31 by Akt

The X protein of hepatitis B virus (HBx) has been specifically implicated in either pro-apoptotic or anti-apoptotic activity in an experimental system, but the underlying mechanism is yet uncertain. Activations of survival and proliferation signaling pathways appear to account partly for its anti-apoptotic property. Change in mitochondrial membrane potential may be responsible for its apoptotic property. In this study, we isolated two HBx isoforms from an HBV carrier, one of which contains Akt phosphorylation site at Ser31 and functions as an anti-apoptotic protein (designated HBx-S31). The other does not contain Akt phosphorylation site and functions as an apoptotic protein (designated HBx-L31). HBx-S31 can activate Akt, whereas HBx-L31 cannot; the former enhances tumor growth, whereas the latter suppresses tumorigenesis. Our study provides evidence that HBx plays dual roles, namely pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic, through different isoforms in which HBx with Ser31 transduces survival signal.

Anti-apoptotic effect of Tax: an NF-κB path or a CREB way?

The NF-κB pathway is intimately linked to the survival of mammalian cells, and its activation by Tax has consequently been considered important for human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-infected cell resistance to death. Very little emphasis has been given to other mechanisms, although Tax regulates the expression and activity of several cellular genes. The finding that CREB protein is activated in HTLV-1 infected cells underlines the possibility that other mechanisms of survival may be implicated in HTLV-1 infection. Indeed, CREB activation or overexpression plays a role in normal hematopoiesis, as well as in leukemia development, and CREB is considered as a survival factor in various cell systems. A better understanding of the different molecular mechanisms used by Tax to counteract cell death will also help in the development of new therapeutic strategies for HTLV-1 associated diseases.

Human T-lymphotropic virus tax activates human cytomegalovirus major-immediate early promoter and improves production of recombinant proteins in HEK293 cells

The human cytomegalovirus (CMV) major immediate-early (MIE) promoter is widely used in mammalian cells for production of recombinant proteins. It is of great interest to further enhance protein production driven by the CMV promoter. Here, we report that the Tax protein of human T-lymphotropic virus stimulates the transgene expression under the control of CMV MIE promoter in HEK293 cells. At least threefold increases in transient production of recombinant proteins, including luciferase and two biopharmaceutical proteins (erythropoietin and interferon-γ), were detected. Furthermore, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-response element binding protein 2 (CREB2) was identified as a cellular cofactor, which might be responsible for Tax transactivation of the CMV MIE promoter. Our results not only demonstrate the potential use of this novel expression strategy for improvement of recombinant protein production in HEK293 cells but also provide the molecular mechanism for Tax-mediated activation of CMV MIE promoter.

Apoptosis of hepatitis B virus-infected hepatocytes prevents release of infectious virus

Apoptosis of infected cells is critically involved in antiviral defense. Apoptosis, however, may also support the release and spread of viruses. Although the elimination of infected hepatocytes is required to combat hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, it is still unknown which consequences hepatocyte apoptosis has for the virus and whether or not it is advantageous to the virus. To study this, we designed a cell culture model consisting of both HBV-producing cell lines and primary human hepatocytes serving as an infection model. We showed that the release of mature, enveloped virions was 80% to 90% reduced 24 h after the induction of apoptosis in HBV-replicating hepatoma cells or HBV-infected hepatocytes. Importantly, HBV particles released from apoptotic hepatocytes were immature and nonenveloped and proved not to be infectious. We found an inverse correlation between the strength of an apoptotic stimulus and the infectivity of the virus particles released: the more potent the apoptotic stimulus, the higher the ratio of nonenveloped capsids to virions and the lower their infectivity. Furthermore, we demonstrated that HBV replication and, particularly, the expression of the HBx protein transcribed from the viral genome during replication do not sensitize cells to apoptosis. Our data clearly reject the hypothesis that the apoptosis of infected hepatocytes facilitates the propagation of HBV. Rather, these data indicate that HBV needs to prevent the apoptosis of its host hepatocyte to ensure the release of infectious progeny and, thus, virus spread in the liver.

HTLV-1 Tax: Linking transformation, DNA damage and apoptotic T-cell death

The human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-1) is the causative agent of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), an aggressive CD4-positive T-cell neoplasia. The HTLV-1 proto-oncogene Tax, a potent transcriptional activator of cellular and viral genes, is thought to play a pivotal role in the transforming properties of the virus by deregulating intracellular signaling pathways. During the course of HTLV-1 infection, the dysregulation of cell-cycle checkpoints and the suppression of DNA damage repair is tightly linked to the activity of the viral oncoprotein Tax. Tax activity is associated with production of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROS), chromosomal instability and DNA damage, apoptotic cell death and cellular transformation. Changes in the intracellular redox status induced by Tax promote DNA damage. Tax-mediated DNA damage is believed to be essential in initiating the transformation process by subjecting infected T cells to genetic changes that eventually promote the neoplastic state. Apoptosis and immune surveillance would then exert the necessary selection pressure for eliminating the majority of virally infected cells, while escape variants acquiring a mutator phenotype would constitute a subpopulation of genetically altered cells prone to neoplasia. While the potency of Tax-activity seems to be a determining factor for the observed effects, the cooperation of Tax with other viral proteins determines the fate and progression of HTLV-1-infected cells through DNA damage, apoptosis, survival and transformation.

Molecular biology of the hepatitis B virus and role of the X gene

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a widespread human pathogen and a major health problem in many countries. Molecular cloning and sequencing of the viral DNA genome has demonstrated a small and compact structure organized into four overlapping reading frames that encode the viral proteins. Besides structural proteins of the core and the envelope, HBV encodes a DNA polymerase with reverse transcriptase activity, a secreted antigen of unknown function, and a transcriptional activator that is essential for viral replication. Major steps of the viral life cycle have been unraveled, including transcription of all viral RNAs from nuclear covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), followed by encapsidation of pregenomic RNA, a more-than-genome length transcript, and reverse transcription of pregenomic RNA leading to asymmetric synthesis of the DNA strands. Although HBV has been recognized as a human tumor virus, no direct transforming activity could be evidenced in different cellular and animal models. However, the transcriptional regulatory protein HBx encoded by the X gene is endowed with weak oncogenic activity. HBx harbors pleiotropic activities and plays a major role in HBV pathogenesis and in liver carcinogenesis.

HTLV-1 and apoptosis: role in cellular transformation and recent advances in therapeutic approaches

A universal cellular defense mechanism against viral invasion is the elimination of infected cells through apoptotic cell death. To counteract host defenses many viruses have evolved complex apoptosis evasion strategies. The oncogenic human retrovirus HTLV-1 is the etiological agent of adult-T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) and the neurodegenerative disease known as HTLV-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). The poor prognosis in HTLV-1-induced ATLL is linked to the resistance of neoplastic T cells against conventional therapies and the immuno-compromised state of patients. Nevertheless, several studies have shown that the apoptotic pathway is largely intact and can be reactivated in ATLL tumor cells to induce specific killing. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms employed by HTLV-1 to counteract cellular death pathways remains an important challenge for future therapies and the treatment of HTLV-1-associated diseases.

Molecular aspects of HTLV-I infection and adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus-I (HTLV-I) is the cause of adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma. Various viral proteins, especially, but not exclusively, Tax have been implicated in oncogenesis, mostly through in vitro studies. Tax transactivates a large and apparently ever expanding list of human genes through transcriptional factors. Elucidating not only the pathways but also the timing of action of HTLV proteins is important for understanding the pathogenesis and development of new treatments.

Proinflammatory cytokine gene induction by human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and HTLV-2 Tax in primary human glial cells

Infection with human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) can result in the development of HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS). HTLV-2 is highly related to HTLV-1 at the genetic level and shares a high degree of sequence homology, but infection with HTLV-2 is relatively nonpathogenic compared to HTLV-1. Although the pathogenesis of HAM/TSP remains to be fully elucidated, previous evidence suggests that elevated levels of the proinflammatory cytokines in the CNS are associated with neuropathogenesis. We demonstrate that HTLV-1 infection in astrogliomas results in a robust induction of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), IL-1alpha, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), TNF-beta, and IL-6 expression. HTLV encodes for a viral transcriptional transactivator protein named Tax that also induces the transcription of cellular genes. To investigate and compare the effects of Tax1 and Tax2 expression on the dysregulation of proinflammatory cytokines, lentivirus vectors were used to transduce primary human astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas. The expression of Tax1 in primary human astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas resulted in significantly higher levels of proinflammatory cytokine gene expression compared to Tax2. Notably, Tax1 expression uniquely sensitized primary human astrocytomas to apoptosis. A Tax2/Tax1 chimera encoding the C-terminal 53 amino acids of the Tax1 fused to the Tax2 gene (Tax(221)) demonstrated a phenotype that resembled Tax1, with respect to proinflammatory cytokine gene expression and sensitization to apoptosis. The patterns of differential cytokine induction and sensitization to apoptosis displayed by Tax1 and Tax2 may reflect differences relating to the heightened neuropathogenicity associated with HTLV-1 infection and the development of HAM/TSP.

Adult T cell leukemia: a tale of two T cells

Human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the etiologic agent for the development of an aggressive hematologic neoplasia termed adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL). Although the virus infects T cell subsets that display either CD4 or CD8 cell surface markers, the leukemic cell is exclusively of the CD4+ subtype. In the article by Sibon et al. in this issue of the JCI, the authors demonstrate that the molecular basis for clonal expansion differs between these 2 infected T cell populations (see the related article beginning on page 974). The molecular events associated with a preleukemic state, such as genomic instability, polynucleation, and cell cycle redistribution, were only observed in CD4+ T cells. This finding provides a molecular-based mechanism for the restriction of the leukemic phenotype to the CD4+ T cell subtype.

Functional switch of viral protein HBx on cell apoptosis, transformation, and tumorigenesis in association with oncoprotein Ras

The X protein (HBx) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) plays important roles in hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during viral infection. In this study, we demonstrated that co-transfection of mouse embryo fibroblasts (STO) with HBx and activated Ras triggered apoptotic cell death, while HBx or activated Ras individually failed to induce apoptosis. In addition, STO cells were able to form colonies on soft agar after transfected with HBx or Ras, and cells co-transfected with both genes failed to transform. Moreover, nude mice injected with STO cells carrying either HBx or Ras could develop tumor, but tumor growth was inhibited by the injection of both STO cells harboring HBx and carrying Ras. These results suggested that HBx plays a role as a tumor inducer and stimulates neoplastic transformation of normal cells, but shifts its function to the induction of apoptosis in association with Ras.

Comparative biology of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and HTLV-2

HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 are highly related complex retroviruses that have been studied intensely for nearly three decades because of their association with neoplasia, neuropathology, and/or their capacity to transform primary human T lymphocytes. The study of HTLV also represents an attractive model that has allowed investigators to dissect the mechanism of various cellular processes, several of which may be critical steps in HTLV-mediated pathogenesis. Both HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 can efficiently immortalize and transform T lymphocytes in cell culture and persist in infected individuals or experimental animals. However, the clinical manifestations of these two viruses differ significantly. HTLV-1 is associated with adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) and a variety of immune-mediated disorders including the chronic neurological disease termed HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). In contrast, HTLV-2 is much less pathogenic with reports of only a few cases of variant hairy cell leukemia and neurological disease associated with infection. The limited number of individuals shown to harbor HTLV-2 in association with specific diseases has, to date, precluded convincing epidemiological demonstration of a definitive etiologic role of HTLV-2 in human disease. Therefore, it has become clear that comparative studies designed to elucidate the mechanisms by which HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 determine distinct outcomes are likely to provide fundamental insights into the initiation of multistep leukemogenesis.

p21WAF1 modulates NF-kappaB signaling and induces anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 in Tax-expressing rat fibroblast

Of the cell cycle-associated genes regulated by human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1) Tax, cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor p21WAF1 is upregulated in HTLV-1-infected cells. Previously, we reported that p21WAF1 stimulated Tax-dependent NF-kappaB activation which influences a variety of cellular processes, including proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. In HTLV-1-infected cells, Tax is primarily involved in the constitutive activation of NF-kappaB signaling. Here, we demonstrate that p21WAF1 affects Tax-dependent NF-kappaB signaling by inducing p100/52, an NF-kappaB-related protein. W4, a Tax-transformed rat fibroblast cell line, exhibits the constitutive activation of NF-kappaB signaling, potentially mediated by overexpression of RelB. Ectopic expression of p21WAF1 in W4 cells, which lack endogenous expression due to methylation of the p21WAF1 promoter, induces the expression of p100/52. Bcl-2 expression was also upregulated by ectopic p21WAF1 in this cell line, suggesting that p21WAF1 plays an important role in the regulation of apoptosis by modulating NF-kappaB signaling in Tax-expressing rat fibroblasts. We also address the expression of NF-kappaB-related proteins in HTLV-1-infected cells.

Involvement of bovine leukemia virus in induction and inhibition of apoptosis

In a previous study, we identified an interesting mutant form of the Tax protein of bovine leukemia virus (BLV), designated D247G, that has an enhanced capacity to transactivate the long terminal repeat (LTR) of BLV and the cellular proto-oncogene c-fos when compared with wild-type Tax (wt-Tax). We demonstrate here that an infectious strain of BLV containing the mutant D247G form of Tax also differs in its capacity to modulate cell survival both positively and negatively. When peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) infected with wild-type or mutant BLV are cultured ex vivo with staurosporine, an agent known to induce a mitochondrial caspase cascade pathway regulating apoptosis, the rate of apoptosis is reduced to a greater extent in cells infected with mutant BLV than wild-type BLV, consistent with previous observations in cultures without staurosporine. The increase in survival was associated with an increase in expression of mRNA of bcl-xl but not bcl-2 and bax ex vivo. In contrast, when a tissue culture-adapted cell line, 293T, was transiently transfected with either wild-type or mutant BLV, apoptosis was induced. The increase in the rate of apoptosis was higher in cells transfected with mutant BLV. The same difference was noted in cells transiently transfected with wild-type and mutant D247G Tax, suggesting that the observed positive and negative modulation of cell survival is attributed to the functional characteristics of mutant D247G Tax.

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and HTLV-2 tax oncoproteins modulate cell cycle progression and apoptosis

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the etiologic agent of adult T-cell leukemia and lymphoma, an aggressive clonal malignancy of human CD4-bearing T lymphocytes. HTLV-2, although highly related to HTLV-1 at the molecular level, has not been conclusively linked to development of lymphoproliferative disorders. Differences between the biological activities of the respective tax gene products (Tax1 and Tax2) may be one factor which accounts for the differential pathogenicities associated with infection. To develop an in vitro model to investigate and compare the effects of constitutive expression of Tax1 and Tax2, Jurkat T-cell lines were infected with lentivirus vectors encoding Tax1 and Tax2 in conjunction with green fluorescent protein, and stably transduced clonal cell lines were generated by serial dilution in the absence of drug selection. Jurkat cells that constitutively express Tax1 and Tax2 (Tax1/Jurkat and Tax2/Jurkat, respectively) showed notably reduced kinetics of cellular replication, and Tax1 inhibited cellular replication to a higher degree in comparison to Tax2. Tax1 markedly activated transcription from the cdk inhibitor p21(cip1/waf1) promoter in comparison to Tax2, suggesting that upregulation of p21(cip1/waf1) may account for the differential inhibition of cellular replication kinetics displayed by Tax1/Jurkat and Tax2/Jurkat cells. The presence of binucleated and multinucleated cells, reminiscent of large lymphocytes with cleaved or cerebriform nuclei often seen in HTLV-1- and -2-seropositive patients, was noted in cultures expressing Tax1 and Tax2. Although Tax1 and Tax2 expression mediated elevated resistance to apoptosis in Jurkat cells after serum deprivation, Tax1 was unique in protection from apoptosis after exposure to camptothecin and etoposide, inhibitors of topoisomerase I and II, respectively. Characterization of the unique phenotypes displayed by Tax1 and Tax2 in vitro will provide information as to the relative roles of these oncoproteins and their contribution to HTLV-1 and -2 pathogenesis in vivo.

Relevance of CREB phosphorylation in the anti-apoptotic function of human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 tax protein in serum-deprived murine fibroblasts

The human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) Tax transactivator is thought to play a primary role in the development of HTLV-1-mediated diseases. Using a murine fibroblast model, we previously showed that Tax reduces apoptosis induced by serum starvation by preventing cytochrome c release from the mitochondria. As Tax can enhance the transcriptional activity of nuclear factor NF-kB and cAMP-responsive element binding protein/activating transcription factor-1 (CREB/ATF-1), we investigated the relevance of these routes in the anti-apoptotic effects of Tax. Results showed that a Tax mutant retaining CREB/ATF-1 transactivating activity protects murine fibroblasts from serum-depletion-induced apoptosis, while two CREB/ATF-1-defective mutants did not. Treatment with forskolin, an activator of CREB, significantly attenuated cytochrome c release and Bax translocation in response of serum deprivation. In analogy to forskolin treatment, Tax expression results in sustained phosphorylation of CREB at Ser(133) during serum starvation. Considered together, these results underscore a primary role of CREB transcriptional activation in preventing apoptosis triggered by growth factor withdrawal, and suggest that Tax might in part function by affecting the phosphorylation state of CREB.

Involvement of glutathione as a mechanism of indirect protection against spontaneous ex vivo apoptosis associated with bovine leukemia virus

Viruses have developed strategies to counteract the apoptotic response of the infected host cells. Modulation of apoptosis is also thought to be a major component of viral persistence and progression to leukemia induced by retroviruses like human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and bovine leukemia virus (BLV). Here, we analyzed the mechanism of ex vivo apoptosis occurring after isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from BLV-infected sheep. We show that spontaneous apoptosis of ovine B lymphocytes requires at least in part a caspase 8-dependent pathway regardless of viral infection. Cell death is independent of cytotoxic response and does not involve the tumor necrosis factor alpha/NF-kappaB/nitric oxide synthase/cyclooxygenase pathway. In contrast, pharmaceutical depletion of reduced glutathione (namely, gamma-glutamyl-l-cysteinyl-glycine [GSH]) by using ethacrynic acid or 1-pyrrolidinecarbodithioic acid specifically reverts inhibition of spontaneous apoptosis conferred indirectly by protective BLV-conditioned media; inversely, exogenously provided membrane-permeable GSH-monoethyl ester restores cell viability in B lymphocytes of BLV-infected sheep. Most importantly, intracellular GSH levels correlate with virus-associated protection against apoptosis but not with general inhibition of cell death induced by polyclonal activators, such as phorbol esters and ionomycin. Finally, inhibition of apoptosis does not correlate with the activities of GSH peroxidase and GSH reductase. In summary, our data fit into a model in which modulation of the glutathione system is a key event involved in indirect inhibition of apoptosis associated with BLV. These observations could have decisive effects during therapeutic treatment of delta-retroviral pathogenesis.

Two discrete events, human T-cell leukemia virus type I Tax oncoprotein expression and a separate stress stimulus, are required for induction of apoptosis in T-cells

Background

It is poorly understood why many transforming proteins reportedly enhance both cell growth (transformation) and cell death (apoptosis). At first glance, the ability to transform and the ability to engender apoptosis seem to be contradictory. Interestingly, both abilities have been widely reported in the literature for the HTLV-I Tax protein.

Results

To reconcile these apparently divergent findings, we sought to understand how Tax might cause apoptosis in a Jurkat T-cell line, JPX-9. Tax expression can be induced equally by either cadmium (Cd) or zinc (Zn) in JPX-9 cells. Surprisingly, when induced by Zn, but not when induced by Cd, Tax-expression produced significant apoptosis. Under our experimental conditions, Zn but not Cd, induced SAPK (stress activated protein kinase)/JNK (Jun kinase) activation in cells. We further showed that transient over-expression of Tax-alone or Jun-alone did not induce cell death. On the other hand, co-expression of Tax plus Jun did effectively result in apoptosis.

Conclusion

We propose that Tax-expression alone in a T-cell background insufficiently accounts for apoptosis. On the other hand, Tax plus activation of a stress kinase can induce cell death. Thus, HTLV-I infection/transformation of cells requires two discrete events (i.e. oncoprotein expression and stress) to produce apoptosis.

HTLV-I Tax protein inhibits apoptosis induction but not G1 arrest by pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate, an anti-oxidant, in adult T cell leukemia cells

OBJECTIVE

We examined the anti-tumor effect of pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (PDTC) on HTLV-1-infected T clones and the mechanism of HTLV-1 Tax protein inhibition of PDTC-induced apoptosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Tax-nonproducing clones S1T and Su9T01, Tax-producing clones K3T and F6T, and Tax cDNA stably transfected S1TcTax clones S1TcTax04 and S1TcTax05 were examined for PDTC inhibition of thymidine incorporation and apoptosis induction by ISEL method. In addition, S1TcTax clones were analyzed by DNA histography and DNA fragmentation and also examined for p53, p21, or Bax protein expression by Western blot.

RESULTS

PDTC inhibited thymidine incorporation of all four HTLV-1-infected T cells in a similar dose-dependent manner, but K3T and F6T were more resistant than S1T and Su9T01 in apoptosis induction. S1TcTax clones also showed resistance to PDTC-induced apoptosis as compared to Tax-nonproducing S1T and S1Tneo. DNA histography demonstrated that PDTC induces G1 arrest and apoptosis in S1T and S1Tneo, and that S1TcTax clones are also sensitive to PDTC in G1 arrest but resistant in apoptosis induction. DNA fragmentation also demonstrated ladder formation only in S1Tneo but not in S1TcTax04. Western blots demonstrated higher expression of p53 and p21 proteins in S1Tneo than in S1TcTax04 during whole phase after PDTC stimulation with moderate enhancement in S1Tneo but small in S1TcTax04. Bax protein expression was detected only at early phase in S1Tneo but was not detected in S1TcTax04.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that PDTC-induced apoptosis is related with Bax, and that G1 arrest is possibly related with p21. Tax might inhibit apoptosis induction mainly via inhibition of Bax expression preceded at least in part by p53 inhibition.

Provirus expansion and deregulation of apoptosis-related genes in the spinal cord of a rat model for human T-lymphocyte virus type I-associated myeloneuropathy

Apoptosis of the spinal oligodendrocytes is the main factor linked to the pathogenesis of human T-lymphocyte virus type I (HTLV-I)-induced myeloneuropathy in rats (HAM rat). To clarify apoptosis-related mechanisms, expression of apoptosis-related genes in the spinal cord of these rats was chronologically examined by means of a semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Provirus expansion and increment of HTLV-I pX mRNA were evident at 7 months after the induced infection. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha increased gradually soon after pX expression. The expression of a major apoptosis-resistant gene, bcl-2, was markedly suppressed at a period of the provirus expansion and bax was also down-regulated. p53 was consistently expressed at high levels. These findings were never observed in spinal cords of HAM-resistant strains with HTLV-I infection even throughout their entire life. Collective evidence suggests that the local provirus expansion and deregulation of apoptosis-related genes, especially down-regulation of bcl-2, may lead to apoptosis of oligodendrocytes, thus being a major pathogenetic pathway in the HTLV-I-induced myeloneuropathy.

T-Cell Control by Human T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma Virus Type 1

Human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus type 1 (HTLV-1) causes neoplastic transformation of human T-cells in a small number of infected individuals several years from infection. Collective evidence from in vitro studies indicates that several viral proteins act in concert to increase the responsiveness of T-cells to extracellular stimulation, modulate proapoptotic and antiapoptotic gene signals, enhance T-cell survival, and avoid immune recognition of the infected T-cells. The virus promotes T-cell proliferation by usurping several signaling pathways central to immune T-cell function, such as antigen stimulation and receptor-ligand interaction, suggesting that extracellular signals are important for HTLV-1 oncogenesis. Environmental factors such as chronic antigen stimulation may therefore be of importance, as also suggested by epidemiological data. Thus genetic and environmental factors together with the virus contribute to disease development. This review focuses on current knowledge of the mechanisms regulating HTLV-1 replication and the T-cell pathways that are usurped by viral proteins to induce and maintain clonal proliferation of infected T-cells. The relevance of these laboratory findings is related to clonal T-cell proliferation and adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma development in vivo.

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.

Provirus expansion and deregulation of apoptosis-related genes in the spinal cord of a rat model for human T-lymphocyte virus type I-associated myeloneuropathy

Apoptosis of the spinal oligodendrocytes is the main factor linked to the pathogenesis of human T-lymphocyte virus type I (HTLV-I)-induced myeloneuropathy in rats (HAM rat). To clarify apoptosis-related mechanisms, expression of apoptosis-related genes in the spinal cord of these rats was chronologically examined by means of a semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Provirus expansion and increment of HTLV-I pX mRNA were evident at 7 months after the induced infection. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha increased gradually soon after pX expression. The expression of a major apoptosis-resistant gene, bcl-2, was markedly suppressed at a period of the provirus expansion and bax was also down-regulated. p53 was consistently expressed at high levels. These findings were never observed in spinal cords of HAM-resistant strains with HTLV-I infection even throughout their entire life. Collective evidence suggests that the local provirus expansion and deregulation of apoptosis-related genes, especially down-regulation of bcl-2, may lead to apoptosis of oligodendrocytes, thus being a major pathogenetic pathway in the HTLV-I-induced myeloneuropathy.

p21(Waf1/Cip1/Sdi1) prevents apoptosis as well as stimulates growth in cells transformed or immortalized by human T-cell leukemia virus type 1-encoded tax

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) Tax regulates the expression of virally encoded genes, as well as various endogenous host genes in trans. Tax-mediated regulation of gene expression is important for the immortalization of normal human T lymphocytes and the transformation of fibroblast cells, such as Rat-1 cells. Tax has the ability to transactivate p21(Waf1/Cip1/Sdi1), resulting in high expression levels in HTLV-1-immortalized cells. Since p21 expression is suppressed due to methylation of the promoter region in Rat-l cell line, p21 may not be critical for the transformation of this cell line by Tax. To further understand the role of p21 for the proliferation of Tax-transformed Rat-1 cells, we examined the effect of ectopic expression of p21 in these cells. Here, we observed that p21 expression enhanced the transformation of this cell line via at least two mechanisms: (i) the enhancement of NF-kappaB activation and/or CREB signaling and (ii) the excitation of antiapoptotic machinery. To analyze the role of p21 that is overexpressed in HTLV-1-immortalized lymphocytes, p21 expression was suppressed by using an antisense oligonucleotide specific for p21 mRNA; these cells then became sensitive to apoptotic induction. These results suggest that p21 plays an important role in the proliferation of Tax-expressing cells through the regulation of at least two independent mechanisms.

NF-kappaB is required for cell death induction by latent membrane protein 1 of Epstein-Barr virus

NF-kappaB is a transcription factor known to promote or antagonize cell death depending on cell types and stimuli. Here, we demonstrate that expression of latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1), an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded membrane protein, triggers programmed cell death in an NF-kappaB-dependent manner. Co-expression of NF-kappaB inhibitors completely prevented activation of NF-kappaB and LMP1-induced cell death. Addition therein of RelA, an active subunit of NF-kappaB, restored the NF-kappaB activation and cell death induction by LMP1, but RelA alone did not induce cell death. These results indicate that the activation of NF-kappaB is required for cell death induced by LMP1. Moreover, LMP1 induced activation of caspase-3 via the activation of NF-kappaB. Studies with z-VAD-fmk, a caspase inhibitor, indicated that NF-kappaB mediated both caspase-dependent and -independent death pathways. In conclusion, the cell death induced by LMP1 uncovered caspase-dependent and -independent death pathways both of which require NF-kappaB.

Role of endogenous retroviruses in autoimmune diseases

Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) correspond to the integrated proviral form of infectious retroviruses that are trapped within the genome by mutations. Endogenous retroviruses represent a key molecular link between the host genome and infectious viral particles. Proteins encoded by ERVs are recognized by antiviral immune responses and become targets of autoreactivity. Activation of ERVs, such as human ERV-K or a human T-cell lymphotropic virus-related endogenous sequence, may also mediate pathogenicity of Epstein-Barr virus. Endogenous retrovirus peptides can directly regulate immune responses. Thus, molecular mimicry and immunomodulation by ERVs may account for self-reactivity and abnormal T- and B-cell functions in autoimmune disorders.

Overexpression of the ADP (E3-11.6K) protein increases cell lysis and spread of adenovirus

Adenoviruses replicate in the nucleus and induce lytic cell death. We have shown previously that efficient cell lysis and release of adenovirus from infected cells requires an 11.6-kDa protein named Adenovirus Death Protein (ADP). The adp gene is located in the early E3 transcription unit, but the gene is expressed primarily at very late stages of infection. The putative function of ADP was discerned previously from the use of virus mutants that lack functional ADP. Here we describe two adenovirus mutants, named VRX-006 and VRX-007, that overexpress ADP. VRX-006 lacks all other genes in the E3 region, and VRX-007 lacks all other E3 genes except 12.5K. VRX-006 and VRX-007 display the phenotype predicted by the proposed function for ADP: they produce early cytopathic effect, early cell lysis, large plaques, and increased cell-to-cell spread. They grow as well in cultured cells as does adenovirus type 5. These results are consistent with the conclusion that ADP functions in adenovirus infections to promote virus release from cells at the culmination of infection.

Seizing of T Cells by Human T-Cell Leukemia⧸Lymphoma Virus Type 1

Human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus type 1 (HTLV-1) causes neoplastic transformation of human T-cells in a small number of infected individuals several years from infection. Several viral proteins act in concert to increase the responsiveness of T-cells to extracellular stimulation, modulate proapoptotic and antiapoptotic gene signals, enhance T-cell survival, and avoid immune recognition of the infected T-cells. The virus promotes T-cell proliferation by usurping several signaling pathways central to immune T-cell function. Viral proteins modulate the downstream effects of antigen stimulation and receptor-ligand interaction, suggesting that extracellular signals are important for HTLV-1 oncogenesis. Environmental factors such as chronic antigen stimulation are therefore important, as also suggested by epidemiological data. The ability of a given individual to respond to specific antigens is determined genetically. Thus, genetic and environmental factors, together with the virus, contribute to disease development. As in the case of other virus-associated cancers, HTLV-1-induced leukemia/lymphoma can be prevented by avoiding viral infection or by intervention during the asymptomatic phase with approaches able to interrupt the vicious cycle of virus-induced proliferation of a subset of T-cells. This review focuses on current knowledge of the mechanisms regulating HTLV-1 replication and the T-cell pathways that are usurped by viral proteins to induce and maintain clonal proliferation of infected T-cells in vitro. The relevance of these laboratory findings will be related to clonal T-cell proliferation and adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma development in vivo.

Cell-free human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 binds to, and efficiently enters mouse cells

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is an etiologic agent of adult T-cell leukemia / lymphoma and other HTLV-1-associated diseases. However, the interaction between HTLV-1 and T cells in the pathogenesis of these diseases is poorly understood. Mouse cells have been reported to be resistant to cell-free HTLV-1 infection. However, we recently reported that HTLV-1 DNA could be observed 24 h after cell-free HTLV-1 infection of mouse cell lines. To understand HTLV-1 replication in these cells in detail, we concentrated the virus produced from c77 feline kidney cell line and established an efficient infection system. The amounts of adsorption of HTLV-1 are larger in mouse T cell lines, EL4 and RLm1, than those in human T cell lines, Molt4 and HUT78, and are similar to that in human kidney cell line, 293T. Unexpectedly, however, the amounts of entry of HTLV-1 are about 10-fold larger in the two mouse cell lines than those in the three human cell lines employed. Moreover, viral DNA was detectable from 1 h in EL4 and RLm1 cells, but only from 2 - 3 h in 293T, Molt4 and HUT78 cells. However, the amount of viral DNA in EL4 cells became smaller than that in Molt4 cells. HTLV-1 expression could be detected until day 1 - 2 in RLm1 and EL4 cells, and until day 4 in Molt4 cells. Our results suggest that mouse cell experiments would give useful information to dissect the early steps of cell-free HTLV-1 infection.

Redox events in HTLV-1 Tax-induced apoptotic T-cell death

A number of studies implicate reactive oxygen intermediates in the induction of DNA damage and apoptosis. Recent studies suggest that the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) Tax protein induces oxidative stress and apoptotic T-cell death. Activation of the T-cell receptor/CD3 pathway enhances the Tax-mediated oxidative and apoptotic effects. Tax-mediated apoptosis and oxidative stress as well as activation of nuclear factor-kappaB can be potently suppressed by antioxidants. This review focuses on Tax-dependent changes in the intracellular redox status and their role in Tax-mediated DNA damage and apoptosis. The relevance of these observations to HTLV-1 virus-mediated T-cell transformation and leukemogenesis are discussed.

Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 oncoprotein tax promotes S-phase entry but blocks mitosis

Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) Tax exerts pleiotropic effects on multiple cellular regulatory processes to bring about NF-kappaB activation, aberrant cell cycle progression, and cell transformation. Here we report that Tax stimulates cellular G(1)/S entry but blocks mitosis. Tax expression in naive cells transduced with a retroviral vector, pBabe-Tax, leads to a significant increase in the number of cells in the S phase, with an accompanying rise in the population of cells with a DNA content of 4N or more. In all cell types tested, including BHK-21, mouse NIH 3T3, and human diploid fibroblast WI-38, Tax causes an uncoupling of DNA synthesis from cell division, resulting in the formation of multinucleated giant cells and cells with decondensed, highly convoluted and lobulated nuclei that are reminiscent of the large lymphocytes with cleaved or cerebriform nuclei seen in HTLV-1-positive individuals. This contrasts with the Tax-transformed cell lines, PX1 (fibroblast) and MT4 (lymphocyte), which produce Tax at high levels, but without the accompanying late-stage cell cycle abnormalities. PX1 and MT4 may have been selected to harbor somatic mutations that allow a bypass of the Tax-induced block in mitosis.

Thioredoxin-mediated redox control of human T cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) gene expression

Thioredoxin (TRX) is a small ubiquitous protein with multiple biological functions, including the thiol-mediated redox-regulation of gene expression. We have previously demonstrated that human TRX is overexpressed as a major protein oxidoreductase in human T cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I)-infected cells. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between TRX and viral gene expression in HTLV-I infection. To study the mechanism that causes overexpression of TRX in HTLV-I-infected cells, we first examined the effect of the HTLV-I transactivator, Tax, on TRX expression. Induction of HTLV-I Tax protein increased the expression of TRX protein in a Tax-transfected Jurkat cell line, JPX-9. Moreover, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) analysis with a reporter gene containing the TRX promoter revealed that Tax activates the transcription of TRX gene. To study the role of overexpressed TRX in HTLV-I infection, we next examined the effect of TRX on HTLV-I long terminal repeat (LTR)-mediated transcription using CAT analysis. In an HTLV-I-infected human T cell line MT-2, the HTLV-I LTR transactivation was suppressed by the overexpression of wild-type TRX, but activated by the introduction of inactive mutant TRX. Moreover, in HTLV-I negative Jurkat T cells, the HTLV-I LTR transactivation induced by Tax was also repressed by overexpression of wild-type TRX. Because cellular redox changes were shown to affect the HTLV-I gene expression, it is likely that TRX modulates the HTLV-I gene expression by regulating cellular redox state. Taken together, these findings suggest that overexpressed TRX, which is induced by HTLV-I Tax, may play an important role in HTLV-I infection through the negative regulation of viral gene expression.

p53-independent induction of apoptosis by the HTLV-I tax protein following UV irradiation

Human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) encodes a transforming protein, Tax. Tax is a promiscuous viral transactivator involved in both cell growth and death control. We have previously shown that Tax sensitizes cells to apoptosis induced by DNA-damaging agents and this report further characterizes the Tax-mediated apoptosis pathway. We found that Tax-mediated apoptosis in response to UV irradiation was inhibited by Bcl-2 and Bcl-X(L) overexpression and by treatment with the caspase inhibitor z-VAd-FMK. Since Tax has been shown to functionally inactivate the apoptosis regulator p53, the effect of Tax on apoptosis in the absence of p53 was examined. In these studies, Tax sensitized p53-negative cells to apoptose, suggesting that Tax can mediate a p53-independent form of apoptosis. In addition, cells expressing both Tax and p53 displayed higher levels of apoptosis than cells expressing either protein alone, suggesting that the apoptosis-inducing activities of Tax and p53 are not completely overlapping. These observations demonstrate that Tax can utilize a p53-independent mechanism to induce apoptotic cell death following UV irradiation.

Activation of HTLV-I long terminal repeat by stress-inducing agents and protection of HTLV-I-infected T-cells from apoptosis by the viral tax protein

HTLV-I is etiologically implicated with tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-I associated myelopathy, adult T-cell leukemia and certain other diseases. However, after infection the virus enters into a dormant state, whereas the characteristics of the HTLV-I related diseases indicate that their genesis requires activation of the dormant virus by a Tax-independent mechanism. In the present study we demonstrate that a variety of stress-inducing agents (TPA, cisplatin, etoposide, taxol, and 3-methylcholanthrene) are capable of Tax-independent activation of HTLV-I LTR and that this activation is detected mainly in cells that are undergoing through the apoptotic process. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that both apoptosis induction and HTLV-I LTR activation are inhibited by Bcl-2 and by PKC, indicating that these two processes are mechanistically cross-linked. In addition, using an HTLV-I producing human T-cell line which permanently express the negatively transdominant tax mutant, Delta58tax, under the Tet-Off control system, we prove that the virally encoded Tax protein protects the host cells from apoptosis. Together, these data suggest that activation of the dormant virus in the carriers' infected T-cells by certain stress-inducing conditions and protecting these cells from the consequent apoptotic death by the viral Tax protein emerging after this activation, might be the basis for switching the virus from latency to a pathogenic phase.

Block of a mitochondrial-mediated apoptotic pathway in Tax-expressing murine fibroblasts

Although the viral transactivator Tax has been established as an essential effector of HTLV-I-mediated oncogenesis, its exact role(s) in the pathogenesis of HTLV-I-associated diseases, which include both a neurodegenerative pathology and leukemia/lymphoma, remains to be clarified. It was recently advanced that dysregulation of the apoptotic process can lead to pathophysiological changes which result in either degenerative diseases or cancer. As the apoptotic potential of Tax is still debated, we addressed this question by testing the susceptibility of Tax(+) and Tax(-) murine fibroblasts to apoptosis under conditions of growth factor withdrawal or treatment with TNFalpha, which trigger apoptosis through different pathways, i.e., mitochondrial and receptor-mediated pathways, respectively. Results showed that Tax-expressing cells are protected from apoptotic death induced by serum deprivation but are sensitive to TNFalpha-mediated apoptosis, suggesting that Tax expression has different effects on cell death, depending on the apoptotic stimulus used. Analysis of the mechanism(s) involved in the resistance to serum depletion-induced apoptosis indicated that Tax(+) cells do not undergo release of cytochrome c from the mitochondrial intermembrane space or redistribution of Bax from the cytosol to mitochondria, two phenomena critical to the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.

The hepatitis B virus-X protein activates a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-dependent survival signaling cascade

The hepatitis B virus-X (HBx) protein is known as a multifunctional protein that not only coactivates transcription of viral and cellular genes but coordinates the balance between proliferation and programmed cell death, by inducing or blocking apoptosis. In this study the role of the HBx protein in activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) was investigated as a possible cause of anti-apoptosis in liver cells. HBx relieved serum deprivation-induced and pro-apoptic stimuli-induced apoptosis in Chang liver (CHL) cells. Treatment with 1-d-3-deoxy-3-fluoro-myo-inositol, an antagonist to PI3K, which blocks the formation of 3'-phosphorylated phosphatidyl inositol in CHL cells transformed by HBx (CHL-X) but not normal Chang liver (CHL) cells, showed a marked loss of viability with evidence of apoptosis. Similarly, treatment with wortmannin, an inhibitor of PI3K, stimulated apoptosis in HBx-transformed CHL cells but not in normal cells, confirming that HBx blocks apoptosis through the PI3K pathway. The serine 47 threonine kinase, Akt, one of the downstream effectors of PI3K-dependent survival signaling was 2-fold higher in HBx-transformed CHL (CHL-X) cells than CHL cells. Phosphorylation of Akt at serine 473 and Bad at serine 136 were induced by HBx, which were specifically blocked by wortmannin and dominant negative mutants of Akt and Bad, respectively. We also demonstrated that HBx inhibits caspase 3 activity and HBx down-regulation of caspase 3 activity was blocked by the PI3K inhibitor. Regions required for PI3K phosphorylation on the HBx protein overlap with the known transactivation domains. HBx blocks apoptosis induced by serum withdrawal in CHL cells in a p53-independent manner. The results indicate that, unlike other DNA tumor viruses that block apoptosis by inactivating p53, the hepatitis B virus achieves protection from apoptotic death through a HBx-PI3K-Akt-Bad pathway and by inactivating caspase 3 activity that is at least partially p53-independent in liver cells. Moreover, these data suggest that modulation of the PI3K activity may represent a potential therapeutic strategy to counteract the occurrence of apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Phosphoinositide-3 kinase-PKB/Akt pathway activation is involved in fibroblast Rat-1 transformation by human T-cell leukemia virus type I tax

Activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and its downstream target Akt are essential for the fibroblast transformation induced by many viral products. Tax, encoded by human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I), has been demonstrated to induce the transformation of rat fibroblast Rat-1 cell through NF-kappaB activation. By stable transfection of Rat-1 cells with expressing constructs of Tax and its mutant M47, which is defective in HTLV-I LTR transactivation, we selected their transformed clones, which have characteristics of NF-kappaB activation and colony formation beyond the cell monolayer (a malignant phenotype). However, these two characteristics in the transformed clones of Tax and M47 disappear after these cells have been treated with wortmannin, a specific inhibitor of PI3K. Further, increased activity of the PI3K/Akt is observed in the transformed clones of Tax and M47 as compared to the clones of empty vector Neo and the M148, which is defective in NF-kappaB activation and cell transformation. Increased activity of PI5K is present in the transformed clones of both Tax and M47 and in the M148 clone as compared to that in the Neo cell. It is known that the efficiency of Tax-induced cell transformation is not high; a minority of Tax-expressing clones show transformation, although the majority of Tax-expressing clones show activated NF-kappaB. A Tax-expressing, nontransformed clone after transfection with an active form of the catalytic subunit of PI3K, p110alpha, becomes transformed. Consistent with these results, a Tax highly-expressing human T-cell line MT2 exhibits both higher polyphosphoinositide turnover and higher activities of PI3K and PI5K than those of Jurkat or MT1 and HTLV-I-negative and a Tax-unexpressing cell line, respectively. These results demonstrate that the activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, excepting for the NF-kappaB, is also required for the cell transformation induced by Tax.

Role of NF-kappaB and myc proteins in apoptosis induced by hepatitis B virus HBx protein

Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) promotes a high level of liver disease and cancer in humans. The HBV HBx gene encodes a small regulatory protein that is essential for viral replication and is suspected to play a role in viral pathogenesis. HBx stimulates cytoplasmic signal transduction pathways, moderately stimulates a number of transcription factors, including several nuclear factors, and in certain settings sensitizes cells to apoptosis by proapoptotic stimuli, including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and etopocide. Paradoxically, HBx activates members of the NF-kappaB transcription factor family, some of which are antiapoptotic in function. HBx induces expression of Myc protein family members in certain settings, and Myc can sensitize cells to killing by TNF-alpha. We therefore examined the roles of NF-kappaB, c-Myc, and TNF-alpha in apoptotic killing of cells by HBx. RelA/NF-kappaB is shown to be induced by HBx and to suppress HBx-mediated apoptosis. HBx also induces c-Rel/NF-kappaB, which can promote apoptotic cell death in some contexts or block it in others. Induction of c-Rel by HBx was found to inhibit its ability to directly mediate apoptotic killing of cells. Thus, HBx induction of NF-kappaB family members masks its ability to directly mediate apoptosis, whereas ablation of NF-kappaB reveals it. Investigation of the role of Myc protein demonstrates that overexpression of Myc is essential for acute sensitization of cells to killing by HBx plus TNF-alpha. This study therefore defines a specific set of parameters which must be met for HBx to possibly contribute to HBV pathogenesis.

Distinct p300-responsive mechanisms promote caspase-dependent apoptosis by human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 Tax protein

The dysregulation of cellular apoptosis pathways has emerged as a critical early event associated with the development of many types of human cancers. Numerous viral and cellular oncogenes, aside from their inherent transforming properties, are known to induce programmed cell death, consistent with the hypothesis that genetic defects are required to support tumor survival. Here, we report that nuclear expression of the CREB-binding protein (CBP)/p300-binding domain of the human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) transactivator, Tax, triggers an apoptotic death-inducing signal during short-term clonal analyses, as well as in transient cell death assays. Coexpression of the antiapoptotic factor Bcl-2 increased serum stimulation; incubation with the chemical caspase inhibitor z-Val-Ala-DL-Asp fluoromethylketone antagonized Tax-induced cell death. The CBP/p300-binding defective Tax mutants K88A and V89A exhibited markedly reduced cytotoxic effects compared to the wild-type Tax protein. Importantly, nuclear expression of the minimal CBP/p300-binding peptide of Tax induced apoptosis in the absence of Tax-dependent transcriptional activities, while its K88A counterpart did not cause cell death. Further, Tax-mediated apoptosis was effectively prevented by ectopic expression of the p300 coactivator. We also report that activation of the NF-kappaB transcription pathway by Tax, under growth arrest conditions, results in apoptosis that occurs independent of direct Tax coactivator effects. Our results allude to a novel pivotal role for the transcriptional coactivator p300 in determining cell fate and raise the possibility that dysregulated coactivator usage may pose an early barrier to transformation that must be selectively overcome as a prerequisite for the initiation of neoplasia.

Avian hemangioma retrovirus induces cell proliferation via the envelope (env) gene

Several years ago, a field strain retrovirus, avian hemangioma virus (AHV), was isolated from hemangioma tumors in layer hens. Sequence analysis indicated that the AHV genome contains the three prototypic retroviral genes, gag, pol, and env, and is devoid of an oncogene. In cultured endothelial cells, however, AHV induced a significant cytopathic effect through a typical apoptotic cascade. We now demonstrate that AHV also induces cell proliferation and anchorage-independent growth of BSC-1 epithelial cells and NIH-3T3 fibroblasts. This was shown by measurements of (1) cell viability, (2) DNA synthesis, (3) flow cytometry analysis of the cell DNA content, and (4) clonogenic efficiency of the infected cells. Anchorage-independent cell growth was demonstrated by colony formation in soft agar. Moreover, the AHV env gene was cloned into a MuLV-based retroviral vector, and infection of NIH-3T3 cells with this vector induced cell proliferation as well as clonogenic growth. These results suggest that AHV, which is devoid of an oncogene, is a pleiotropic activator capable of inducing either apoptosis or cellular proliferation, depending on the infected cell type.

Differential apoptosis effects of primate lentiviral Vpr and Vpx in mammalian cells

The growth inhibitory effects of Vpr and Vpx are species- and cell type-dependent. HIV-1, HIV-2 and SIV Vpr are primarily cytostatic in mammalian cells and HIV-1 Vpr has been reported to induce apoptosis in human cells. Our previous studies have shown that HIV-1, HIV-2 and SIV Vpr and Vpx have differential cytostatic and cytotoxic effects in the yeast cells [Zhang et al.: Virology, 230:103-112; 1997]. Here, we further examined the apoptosis function of HIV-1 Vpr in different species of mammalian cells and investigated if other primate lentiviral Vpr and Vpx exert similar functions. Our results show that none of the primate lentiviral Vpr or Vpx we tested induces apoptosis in nonhuman species of mammalian cells. However, HIV-1 Vpr, but not HIV-2 or SIV Vpr and/or Vpx, induced apoptosis in different types of human cell lines. Further, the apoptotic effect of HIV-1 Vpr can be distinguished from that of the human interferon-gamma, a known proapoptotic protein, that HIV-1 Vpr shows little to no paracrine and/or bystander effect. When coexpressed with Bcl-2 or Bcl-X(L), the apoptotic effect of HIV-1 Vpr became markedly attenuated. These results indicate that the apoptotic effect of HIV-1 Vpr is species-dependent and is intracellularly modulated by the Bcl-2 family of proteins. Our study also suggests that the proapoptotic function of HIV-1 Vpr is developmentally associated with human but not nonhuman primate species.