Human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 Tax oncoprotein regulates G-protein signaling

Blood. 2007 Feb 1;109(3):1051-60. doi: 10.1182/blood-2006-06-026781. Epub 2006 Sep 21.

Abstract

Human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1) is associated with adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) and neurological syndromes. HTLV-1 encodes the oncoprotein Tax-1, which modulates viral and cellular gene expression leading to T-cell transformation. Guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G proteins) and G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest family of membrane proteins known and are involved in the regulation of most biological functions. Here, we report an interaction between HTLV-1 Tax oncoprotein and the G-protein beta subunit. Interestingly, though the G-protein beta subunit inhibits Tax-mediated viral transcription, Tax-1 perturbs G-protein beta subcellular localization. Functional evidence for these observations was obtained using conditional Tax-1-expressing transformed T-lymphocytes, where Tax expression correlated with activation of the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis. Our data indicated that HTLV-1 developed a strategy based on the activation of the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis in the infected cell; this could have tremendous implications for new therapeutic strategies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chemokine CXCL12
  • Chemokines, CXC / metabolism*
  • Deltaretrovirus Infections
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / physiology
  • Gene Products, tax / genetics
  • Gene Products, tax / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Receptors, CXCR4 / metabolism*
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / physiology*
  • Signal Transduction*
  • T-Lymphocytes
  • Transduction, Genetic

Substances

  • CXCL12 protein, human
  • Chemokine CXCL12
  • Chemokines, CXC
  • Gene Products, tax
  • Receptors, CXCR4
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • GTP-Binding Proteins