The tyrosine kinase KDR is essential for the survival of HTLV-1-infected T cells by stabilizing the Tax oncoprotein.

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection is linked to the development of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) and the neuroinflammatory disease, HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). The HTLV-1 Tax oncoprotein regulates viral gene expression and persistently activates NF-κB to maintain the viability of HTLV-1-infected T cells. Here, we utilize a kinome-wide shRNA screen to identify the tyrosine kinase KDR as an essential survival factor of HTLV-1-transformed cells.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor-interacting protein in cancer and immunity: Beyond a chaperone protein for the dioxin receptor.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-interacting protein (AIP) is a ubiquitously expressed, immunophilin-like protein best known for its role as a co-chaperone in the AhR-AIP-Hsp90 cytoplasmic complex. In addition to regulating AhR and the xenobiotic response, AIP has been linked to various aspects of cancer and immunity that will be the focus of this review article. Loss-of-function AIP mutations are associated with pituitary adenomas, suggesting that AIP acts as a tumor suppressor in the pituitary gland.

Phosphorylation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor interacting protein by TBK1 negatively regulates IRF7 and the type I interferon response.

The innate antiviral response to RNA viruses is initiated by sensing of viral RNAs by RIG-I-like receptors and elicits type I interferon (IFN) production, which stimulates the expression of IFN-stimulated genes that orchestrate the antiviral response to prevent systemic infection. Negative regulation of type I IFN and its master regulator, transcription factor IRF7, is essential to maintain immune homeostasis. We previously demonstrated that AIP (aryl hydrocarbon receptor interacting protein) functions as a negative regulator of the innate antiviral immune response by binding to and sequestering IRF7 in the cytoplasm, thereby preventing IRF7 transcriptional activation and type I IFN production.

Mechanisms of Innate Immune Sensing of HTLV-1 and Viral Immune Evasion.

Human T lymphotropic virus-1 (HTLV-1) was the first identified oncoretrovirus, which infects and establishes a persistent infection in approximately 10-20 million people worldwide. Although only ~5% of infected individuals develop pathologies such as adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) or a neuroinflammatory disorder termed HTLV-1-asssociated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), asymptomatic carriers are more susceptible to opportunistic infections. Furthermore, ATLL patients are severely immunosuppressed and prone to other malignancies and other infections.

Regulation of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 antisense promoter by myocyte enhancer factor-2C in the context of adult T-cell leukemia and lymphoma.

Adult T-cell leukemia and lymphoma (ATLL) is an intractable T-cell neoplasia caused by a retrovirus, namely human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1). Patients suffering from ATLL present a poor prognosis and have a dearth of treatment options. In contrast to the sporadic expression of viral transactivator protein Tax present at the 5' promoter region long terminal repeats (LTR), HTLV-1 bZIP gene (HBZ) is encoded by 3'LTR (the antisense promoter) and maintains its constant expression in ATLL cells and patients.

Multifaceted roles of TAX1BP1 in autophagy.

TAX1BP1 is a selective macroautophagy/autophagy receptor that plays a central role in host defense to pathogens and in regulating the innate immune system. TAX1BP1 facilitates the xenophagic clearance of pathogenic bacteria such as and and regulates TLR3 (toll-like receptor 3)-TLR4 and DDX58/RIG-I-like receptor (RLR) signaling by targeting TICAM1 and MAVS for autophagic degradation respectively. In addition to these canonical autophagy receptor functions, TAX1BP1 can also exert multiple accessory functions that influence the biogenesis and maturation of autophagosomes.

The E3/E4 ubiquitin conjugation factor UBE4B interacts with and ubiquitinates the HTLV-1 Tax oncoprotein to promote NF-κB activation.

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the etiological agent of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL), and the neurological disease HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). The HTLV-1 Tax protein persistently activates the NF-κB pathway to enhance the proliferation and survival of HTLV-1 infected T cells. Lysine 63 (K63)-linked polyubiquitination of Tax provides an important regulatory mechanism that promotes Tax-mediated interaction with the IKK complex and activation of NF-κB; however, the host proteins regulating Tax ubiquitination are largely unknown.

Lymphotropic Viruses: Chronic Inflammation and Induction of Cancers.

Inflammation induced by transcription factors, including Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (STATs) and NF-κB, in response to microbial pathogenic infections and ligand dependent receptors stimulation are critical for controlling infections. However, uncontrolled inflammation induced by these transcription factors could lead to immune dysfunction, persistent infection, inflammatory related diseases and the development of cancers. Although the induction of innate immunity and inflammation in response to viral infection is important to control virus replication, its effects can be modulated by lymphotropic viruses including human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), Κaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV), and Epstein Barr virus (EBV) during de novo infection as well as latent infection.

MEF-2 isoforms' (A-D) roles in development and tumorigenesis.

Myocyte enhancer factor (MEF)-2 plays a critical role in proliferation, differentiation, and development of various cell types in a tissue specific manner. Four isoforms of MEF-2 (A-D) differentially participate in controlling the cell fate during the developmental phases of cardiac, muscle, vascular, immune and skeletal systems. Through their associations with various cellular factors MEF-2 isoforms can trigger alterations in complex protein networks and modulate various stages of cellular differentiation, proliferation, survival and apoptosis.

Peroxisomes support human herpesvirus 8 latency by stabilizing the viral oncogenic protein vFLIP via the MAVS-TRAF complex.

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is causally related to human malignancies. HHV-8 latent viral FLICE-inhibitory protein (vFLIP) is a viral oncoprotein that is linked to pathogenesis, but how its expression is regulated is largely unknown. In an attempt to understand the role of the mitochondrial antiviral signaling (MAVS) adaptor in HHV-8 infection, we discovered that vFLIP expression was post-translationally up-regulated by the MAVS signaling complex on peroxisomes.

NF-κB signaling mechanisms in HTLV-1-induced adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma.

The human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a complex deltaretrovirus linked to adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL), a fatal CD4 +  malignancy in 3-5% of infected individuals. The HTLV-1 Tax regulatory protein plays indispensable roles in regulating viral gene expression and activating cellular signaling pathways that drive the proliferation and clonal expansion of T cells bearing HTLV-1 proviral integrations. Tax is a potent activator of NF-κB, a key signaling pathway that is essential for the survival and proliferation of HTLV-1-infected T cells.

Regnase-1, a rapid response ribonuclease regulating inflammation and stress responses.

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are central players in post-transcriptional regulation and immune homeostasis. The ribonuclease and RBP Regnase-1 exerts critical roles in both immune cells and non-immune cells. Its expression is rapidly induced under diverse conditions including microbial infections, treatment with inflammatory cytokines and chemical or mechanical stimulation.

TAX1BP1 Restrains Virus-Induced Apoptosis by Facilitating Itch-Mediated Degradation of the Mitochondrial Adaptor MAVS.

The host response to RNA virus infection consists of an intrinsic innate immune response and the induction of apoptosis as mechanisms to restrict viral replication. The mitochondrial adaptor molecule MAVS plays critical roles in coordinating both virus-induced type I interferon production and apoptosis; however, the regulation of MAVS-mediated apoptosis is poorly understood. Here, we show that the adaptor protein TAX1BP1 functions as a negative regulator of virus-induced apoptosis.

Monoubiquitination of survival motor neuron regulates its cellular localization and Cajal body integrity.

Low levels of the survival motor neuron (SMN) protein cause spinal muscular atrophy, the leading genetic disorder for infant mortality. SMN is ubiquitously expressed in various cell types and localizes in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus, where it concentrates in two subnuclear structures termed Cajal body (CB) and gems. In addition, SMN can also be detected in the nucleolus of neurons.

Elucidating dynamic protein-protein interactions and ubiquitination in NF-κB signaling pathways.

The Nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) family of transcription factors plays critical roles in inflammatory responses and host defense; however, uncontrolled NF-κB activation can be deleterious by promoting autoimmune diseases and cancers. Lysine K63 (K63)-linked polyubiquitination has emerged as an important regulatory mechanism in NF-κB signaling by regulating dynamic protein-protein interactions that trigger NF-κB signaling. RIP1 and TRAF6 serve as key substrates of K63-linked polyubiquitin chains in tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) and interleukin-1 receptor (IL-1R) pathways respectively as a mechanism to recruit TAK1 and IKK kinases by associated ubiquitin-binding adaptor molecules.

Functional implications of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species generated by oncogenic viruses.

Between 15-20% of human cancers are associated with infection by oncogenic viruses. Oncogenic viruses, including HPV, HBV, HCV and HTLV-1, target mitochondria to influence cell proliferation and survival. Oncogenic viral gene products also trigger the production of reactive oxygen species which can elicit oxidative DNA damage and potentiate oncogenic host signaling pathways.

HTLV-1 tax stabilizes MCL-1 via TRAF6-dependent K63-linked polyubiquitination to promote cell survival and transformation.

The human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) Tax protein hijacks the host ubiquitin machinery to activate IκB kinases (IKKs) and NF-κB and promote cell survival; however, the key ubiquitinated factors downstream of Tax involved in cell transformation are unknown. Using mass spectrometry, we undertook an unbiased proteome-wide quantitative survey of cellular proteins modified by ubiquitin in the presence of Tax or a Tax mutant impaired in IKK activation. Tax induced the ubiquitination of 22 cellular proteins, including the anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family member MCL-1, in an IKK-dependent manner.