This project is to understand the processes used by the human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1)for the transformation of human cells. There are several concepts on how a cell can progress from normal physiology to achieve a transformed phenotype. To characterize transformation, we have studied cellular genetic integrity, cell cycle progression and the checkpoints within a cell that guard normal cellular division. We have studied several cellular proteins whose functions are perturbed by the HTLV-1 viral oncoprotein, Tax, during the course of cellular transformation. In the 2008 - 2009 period, we have made the following scientifc findings. 1) We have characterized a new Tax1-binding protein 1 (TAX1BP1) which is a negative regulator of TNF-alpha- and IL-1beta-induced NF-kappaB activation and whose activity is abrogated by Tax1. 2) We have profiled miRNA expression in HTLV-1-transformed human T-cell lines and primary peripheral blood mononuclear cells from adult T-cell leukemia patients. We have found two microRNAs that participate in the oncogenesis of HTLV-1 infected cells. 3) We have studied how Tax activates the pro-inflammatory factor NF-kappaB and how this activation is regulated by the prolyl isomerase Pin1 protein.

Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$1,048,979
Indirect Cost
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State
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Tang, Sai-Wen; Chen, Chia-Yen; Klase, Zachary et al. (2013) The cellular autophagy pathway modulates human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 replication. J Virol 87:1699-707
Zhang, Quan; Jeang, Kuan-Teh (2013) Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and viral infections. Biomed Pharmacother 3:34-42
Klase, Zachary; Jeang, Kuan-Teh (2013) Reciprocal functional pseudotyping of HIV-1 and HTLV-1 viral genomes by the heterologous counterpart envelope proteins. Virology 443:106-12
Zane, Linda; Yasunaga, Junichiro; Mitagami, Yu et al. (2012) Wip1 and p53 contribute to HTLV-1 Tax-induced tumorigenesis. Retrovirology 9:114
Chen, Chia-Yen; Chi, Ya-Hui; Mutalif, Rafidah Abdul et al. (2012) Accumulation of the inner nuclear envelope protein Sun1 is pathogenic in progeric and dystrophic laminopathies. Cell 149:565-77
Chi, Ya-Hui; Chen, Chia-Yen; Jeang, Kuan-Teh (2012) Reversal of laminopathies: the curious case of SUN1. Nucleus 3:418-21
Majone, Franca; Jeang, Kuan-Teh (2012) Unstabilized DNA breaks in HTLV-1 Tax expressing cells correlate with functional targeting of Ku80, not PKcs, XRCC4, or H2AX. Cell Biosci 2:15
Zane, Linda; Jeang, Kuan-Teh (2012) The importance of ubiquitination and sumoylation on the transforming activity of HTLV Tax-1 and Tax-2. Retrovirology 9:103
Jeang, Kuan-Teh (2011) Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) latency: death signaling awakens the sleeping retrovirus. Cell Cycle 10:3824-5
Yasunaga, Junichiro; Lin, Frank C; Lu, Xiongbin et al. (2011) Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 20 targets TRAF6 and human T cell leukemia virus type 1 tax to negatively regulate NF-kappaB signaling. J Virol 85:6212-9

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