Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE
(ISSN 1009-3095, Monthly)

2005   Vol. 6B   No. 7   p.668-672

Extracellular HIV Tat and Tat cysteine rich peptide increase CCR5 expression in monocytes

ZHENG Lin¹, YANG Yi-da^†‡1, LU Guo-cai¹, SALVATO Maria S.²

(¹Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, China)
(²Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland Biotechnology Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA)
^†E-mail: yidayang@hotmail.com
Received Jun. 1, 2004; revision accepted Jan. 17, 2005

Abstract: 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.

Key words: HIV Tat, Tat cysteine rich peptide, CCR5, Monocytes
doi:10.1631/jzus.2005.B0668             CLC number: R512.91

^‡ Corresponding Author