Abstract
The immunoregulatory cytokine interleukin 6 (IL-6) directly upregulates production of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in acutely as well as in chronically infected cells of monocytic lineage. In addition, IL-6 synergizes with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in the induction of latent HIV expression. Unlike TNF-alpha, upregulation of viral expression induced by IL-6 alone does not occur at the transcriptional level and it is not associated with accumulation of HIV RNA. However, when IL-6 and TNF-alpha synergistically stimulate HIV production, accumulation of HIV RNA and increased transcription are observed, indicating that IL-6 affects HIV expression at multiple (transcriptional and post-transcriptional) levels.
MeSH terms
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Blotting, Northern
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Blotting, Western
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Cell Line
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Colony-Stimulating Factors / pharmacology
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Drug Synergism
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Gene Expression Regulation, Viral / drug effects
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Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
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Growth Substances / pharmacology
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HIV-1 / drug effects
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HIV-1 / growth & development*
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Humans
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Interleukin-6 / pharmacology*
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Monocytes / microbiology*
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RNA, Viral / biosynthesis
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Recombinant Proteins
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Retroviridae Proteins / biosynthesis*
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Transcription, Genetic / drug effects*
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Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / pharmacology*
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Virus Activation / drug effects*
Substances
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Colony-Stimulating Factors
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Growth Substances
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Interleukin-6
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RNA, Viral
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Recombinant Proteins
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Retroviridae Proteins
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Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
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Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor