HIV-1 trans-activator of transcription (Tat) plays a critical role in HIV-1 transcription. Based on the beta-turn motif present in HIV-1 Tat, a series of novel benzodiazepine analogs were designed as beta-turn mimetics and prepared from p-chloro-nitrobenzene/2-phenylacetonitrile, p-toluidine/benzoyl chloride, or (Z)-7-nitro-5-phenyl-1H-benzo[e][1, 4]diazepin-2(3H)-one (nitrazepam) through different synthetic routes. Preliminary biological evaluation indicated that compound 30 exhibited inhibitory activity on HIV-1 tat-mediated LTR transcription with EC50 of 25.0 micromol x L(-1) and showed no obvious cytotoxic effects on TZM-BI cells under the concentration of 100 micromol x L(-1).
Benzodiazepinones ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; HIV Long Terminal Repeat ; genetics ; HIV-1 ; genetics ; Humans ; Transcription, Genetic ; drug effects ; tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus ; antagonists & inhibitors

BACKGROUNDProteins or peptides can be directly transferred into cells when covalently linked to protein transduction domains (PTDs). TAT is one of the most widely studied PTDs. The effect of fusion protein TAT and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) on liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (SECs) apoptosis during cold storage is unknown. The present study aimed to determine whether fusion protein TAT-HO-1 would transduce efficiently into liver during cold storage, and, if so, to determine whether TAT-HO-1 would attenuate SECs apoptosis during preservation injury in rat.

METHODSLivers of Sprague-Dawley rats were harvested and randomly assigned to group 1 (HTK solution) and group 2 (HTK solution containing TAT-HO-1 fusion protein) according to the type of the preservation solution. The transduction efficiency of TAT-HO-1 was examined and the impairment of SECs was assessed during the period of cold storage followed by 1 hour of reperfusion.

RESULTSTAT-HO-1 can transduce efficiently into liver during cold storage. A significantly lower apoptotic index of SECs was observed in group 2, at 6, 12 and 18 hours of cold storage after 1 hour reperfusion, when compared with group 1. TAT-HO-1 reduced HA and ET levels in liver at each time point. Both Bcl-2 and Bax protein were expressed in hepatocytes and SECs at the periphery of the sinusoidal space. Moreover, higher Bcl-2 expression and lower Bax expression were observed in group 2.

CONCLUSIONSTAT-HO-1 can transduce efficiently into rat livers and shows a protective effect on SECs by attenuating apoptosis during cold ischemia/reperfusion injury. Protein transduction will be a novel therapeutic strategy to reduce the risk of preservation injury in liver transplantation.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Heme Oxygenase-1 ; genetics ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; In Vitro Techniques ; Liver ; cytology ; Male ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Radioimmunoassay ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism ; tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus ; genetics

Host cell protein phosphatase-1 (PP1) is an important regulator of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) transcription. PP1 is involved in the regulation of HIV-1 transcription, and dephosphorylates RNA polymerase II C-terminal domain (RNAPII CTD) or CycT1-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) to increase Tat-dependent HIV-1 transcription. In this review, we discuss the action of PP1 in Tat-induced HIV-1 transcription and related to PP1 inhibitors.
Anti-HIV Agents ; pharmacology ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; HIV-1 ; genetics ; Humans ; Okadaic Acid ; pharmacology ; Protein Phosphatase 1 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; chemistry ; physiology ; Pyrans ; pharmacology ; Spiro Compounds ; pharmacology ; Transcription, Genetic ; tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus ; physiology

One of characteristic features of AIDS-related encephalitis and dementia is the infiltration of monocytes into the CNS. HIV-1 Tat was demonstrated to facilitate monocyte entry into the CNS. In this study, we examined the effect of HIV-1 Tat on the expression of adhesion molecules, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and NF-kappaB activation in CRT-MG human astroglioma cells. Treatment of CRT-MG cells with HIV-1 Tat protein significantly increased protein and mRNA levels of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1, as measured by Western blot analysis and RT-PCR, indicating that Tat increases these protein levels at an mRNA level. In addition, Tat induced the activation of NF-kappaB in astrocytes. Treatment of CRT-MG with NF-kappaB inhibitors led to decrease in Tat-induced protein and mRNA expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1. Furthermore, HIV-1 Tat protein increased ROS generation. Inhibition of Tat-induced ROS generation by N-acetyl cysteine, vitamin C and diphenyl iodonium suppressed Tat-induced NF-kappaB activation, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression, and monocyte adhesion in CRT-MG. These data indicate that HIV-1 Tat can modulate monocyte adhesiveness by increasing expression of adhesion molecules such as ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 via ROS- and NF-kappaB-dependent mechanisms in astrocytes.
Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1/genetics/*metabolism ; Up-Regulation/*drug effects ; Transcription, Genetic/genetics ; Reactive Oxygen Species/*metabolism ; NF-kappa B/*metabolism ; Monocytes/cytology/*drug effects/metabolism ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1/genetics/*metabolism ; Humans ; *HIV-1 ; Gene Products, tat/*pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Cell Adhesion/drug effects ; Astrocytes/cytology/metabolism

HIV-1 Tat is considered to be one of key players to facilitate monocyte entry into the CNS, which is characteristic feature of AIDS-related encephalitis and dementia. This study was performed to determine the regulatory function of superoxide dismutase (SOD) on the HIV-1 Tat-induced signaling pathways leading to NF-kappaB activation, expression of adhesion molecules, and monocyte adhesion in CRT-MG human astroglioma cells by using cell-permeable SOD. When cell-permeable SOD was added to the culture medium of CRT-MG cells, it rapidly entered the cells in dose- and time-dependent manners. Treatment of astrocytes with cell-permeable SOD led to decrease in Tat-induced ROS generation as well as NF-kappaB activation. Cell-permeable SOD inhibited the activation of MAP kinases including ERK, JNK and p38 by HIV-1 Tat. Treatment of CRT-MG cells with cell-permeable SOD significantly inhibited protein and mRNA levels of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 up-regulated by HIV-1 Tat, as measured by Western blot analysis and RT-PCR. Furthermore, enhanced adhesiveness of monocyte to astrocyte by HIV-1 Tat was significantly abrogated by pretreatment with cell-permeable SOD fusion proteins. These data indicate that SOD has a regulatory function for HIV-1 Tat-induced NF-kappaB activation in astrocytes and suggest that cell-permeable SOD can be used as a feasible therapeutic agent for regulation of ROS-related neurological diseases.
Astrocytes/*enzymology ; Cell Adhesion/*physiology ; Cell Membrane Permeability ; Gene Products, tat/*pharmacology ; HIV Infections/metabolism ; HIV-1/*chemistry ; Humans ; Monocytes/cytology/*drug effects ; Signal Transduction ; Superoxide Dismutase/genetics/*physiology

AIMTo investigate the effects of sulfated polymannuroguluronate (SPMG), a novel candidate anti-AIDS drug in Phase II clinical trial, on Tat-induced release of proinflammatory cytokines (i.e., TNFalpha, IL-1beta and IL-6) and its related mechanism.

METHODSThe effects of SPMG on Tat induced TNFalpha (4 h), IL-1beta and IL-6 (6 h) secretion in THP-1 cells were measured by ELISA. Western blotting analysis was used to study the effects of SPMG on Tat induced PKCzeta, PKCtheta and PKCsigma phosphorylation.

RESULTSSPMG (50 to 100 microg x mL(-1)) markedly suppressed TNFalpha, IL-1beta and IL-6 secretion in Tat activated THP-1 cells. In THP-1 cells the phosphorylation levels of PKCzeta, PKCtheta and PKCsigma significantly increased following Tat stimulation, and only PKCsigma phosphorylation levels was inhibited by SPMG (50 to 100 microg x mL(-1)).

CONCLUSIONSPMG suppresses the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines in THP-1 cells may be by inhibiting PKCsigma activation.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Gene Products, tat ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Interleukin-1beta ; secretion ; Interleukin-6 ; secretion ; Isoenzymes ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; Polysaccharides ; pharmacology ; Protein Kinase C ; metabolism ; Protein Kinase C-delta ; metabolism ; Protein Kinase C-theta ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; secretion

Anti-HIV Agents ; pharmacology ; Ciprofloxacin ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Gene Products, tat ; chemistry ; genetics ; Genes, tat ; HIV-1 ; drug effects ; genetics ; Humans ; Oligopeptides ; pharmacology ; Organophosphates ; pharmacology ; Transcription, Genetic ; Transcriptional Activation ; Uridine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus

As a novel member of the IAP (Inhibitor of apoptosis protein) family, survivin was observed to be expressed in most human cancerous cells. Fusion protein TATm-survivin (T34A) has drawn considerable attention because it is a potential anti-tumor protein that can be transduced into cancer cell with the help of HIV-TAT domain. In this study, the cDNA encoding survivin was cloned by RT-PCR from human breast cancer cell lines B-Cap-37. An expression vector of pRSET-B-HIV-tatm-survivin (T34A) was constructed by PCR after survivin (T34A) was mutated by site-directed mutagenesis. Subsequently, the resultant plasmid was transformed into E. coli BL21 (DE3). Recombinant HIV-TATm-Survivin (T34A) protein was expressed efficiently with 0.5mM IPTG as inducer, reaching a yield of 650mg/liter (as inclusion body) in fermentation culture. The inclusion bodies were solubilized, refolded and purified to a purity of 96% by ion exchange chromatograghy and size-exclusion chromatography. Remarkable effects of the purified recombinant HIV-TATm-Survivin (T34A) on the morphology of cell line SW1990 and B-Cap-37 were observed after being administrated for 4h. MTT assay showed recombinant HIV-TATm-survivin (T34A) protein could inhibit significantly cell proliferation of SW1990 and B-Cap-37 and SSMC-7721 in vitro. Apoptosis rate and cell circle of SW1990 and B-Cap-37 that had been treated with target protein (final concentration 30 microg/mL) were detected with flow cytometry. Results revealed that more than 65% cancer cells were arrested at G1 phase. The study suggested that TATm-survivin (T34A) protein was a hopeful protein drug in the treatment of cancers by facilitating apoptosis of cancer cells. Key words recombinant HIV-TATm-Survivin (T34A), expression and purification, pro-apoptosis bioactivity, SW1990 and B-Cap-37 cancer cell lines
Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Base Sequence ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology ; tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology

In our previous work we reported that HIV Tat and 6 cysteine rich peptides of Tat induce tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-induced ligand (TRAIL) in human monocytes (Yang et al., 2003). Here our results showed that HIV Tat and Tat cysteine rich peptide increase CCR5 expression in human monocytes, and this activity is inhibited by rabbit anti-Tat. Boiled Tat does not increase CCR5 expression in monocytes. These results provide insight into a new mechanism by which HIV Tat plays a key role in the pathogenesis of HIV-1 infection.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Cells, Cultured ; Cysteine ; chemistry ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Extracellular Fluid ; chemistry ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; physiology ; Gene Products, tat ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Monocytes ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Peptides ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of HIV Tat protein on CCR5 expression of monocytes and HIV infection in monocytes.

METHODSMembrane expression of CCR5 on monocytes was analyzed by flow cytometry. Stimulated with HIV Tat protein, monocytes were infected with monocyte-tropic HIV(Ba-L) and HIV gag p24 level in the supernatant was measured by ELISA methods.

RESULTSHIV Tat protein increased CCR5 expression in human monocytes,which was inhibited by rabbit anti-Tat polyclonal antibody. Tat protein also increased p24 level after monocyte-tropic HIV-1(Ba-L) infected monocytes.

CONCLUSIONTat increases CCR5 expression and HIV-1 infection in monocytes, which indicates that HIV Tat might be a key protein in HIV-1 infection.

Flow Cytometry ; Gene Products, tat ; pharmacology ; HIV ; HIV Infections ; metabolism ; Humans ; Monocytes ; metabolism ; Receptors, CCR5 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus