Human T cell lymphotropic virus type I Tax protein trans-activates interleukin 15 gene transcription through an NF-kappaB site.

ABSTRACT: Interleukin 15 (IL-15) mRNA is expressed in a wide variety of tissue types. However, with the exception of some T cell lines, IL-15 transcript expression has not been described in T cells. Herein we demonstrate that IL-15 mRNA can be detected in freshly isolated normal T cells and T cell lines. Furthermore, its expression is 3- to 4-fold higher in human T cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I)-infected T cells. By using reporter constructs bearing the 5' regulatory region of the IL-15 gene, we observed a positive correlation between HTLV-I Tax protein expression and IL-15 promoter activity in HTLV-I-infected T cells. Additionally, by using a Jurkat T cell transfectant that expresses Tax under an inducible promoter, we demonstrated that the expression of IL-15 mRNA increased 3-fold as Tax

SUBMITTER: Azimi N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC19372 | biostudies-literature | 1998 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature