4th International AIDS Conference Stockholm, Sweden. — June 12-16, 1988

Int Conf AIDS. 1988 Jun 12-16;4:1.116 (abstract no. 1016)

Howard E. Gendelman, Ronald Willey, Arnold Rabson and Malcolm A. Martin
Lab. of Mol. Microbiol., Nat. Inst. of Health, Bethesda, MD

OBJECTIVE: Examine whether cellular factors have HIVtat-like activity.

METHODS: A tat negative provirus (ptat0) was constructed by site directed mutagenesis. Viral specific RNA, reverse transcriptase activity (RT) and proteins were measured after transfection of ptat0 and a replication-competent HIV proviral DNA (pNL4-3).

RESULTS: Following transfection of ptat0 into 10 different cell lines, HIV-specific RNA, RT activity, and proteins were easily detected in 2. HeLa and SW480 cells supported tat negative viral replication; lymphoblastoid and most adherent cell lines did not. The pNL4-3 transfected cells produced infectious progeny virus. A recombinant HIV DNA that expresses tat, restored replication in all 10 ptat0 -transfected cell lines. Herpes simplex virus and phorbol myristate acetate which stimulate HIV LTR-directed gene synthesis did not substitute for tat.

CONCLUSION: Cellular regulatory factors present in certain cells may substitute for tat. This suggests an indirect action for tat in modifying synthesis of cellular regulatory factors.

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Copyright © 1988 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.