Transactivation of human immunodeficiency virus promoter by human herpesvirus 6

R. T. Horvat, C. Wood, N. Balachandran

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

115 Scopus citations

Abstract

Patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) are often infected with a number of other heterologous viruses in addition to the initial human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, and these agents could act as potential reactivating agents of latent HIV. A new antigenically distinct herpesvirus, designated human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), has recently been isolated from patients with AIDS and has since been shown to infect a number of different human cells, specifically human T cells, B cells, and glial cells. Since these are some of the same cells that harbor the AIDS virus, it is quite important to determine any interaction between this new herpesvirus and HIV. In this report, we demonstrate that HHV-6 can trans-activate the HIV promoter in human T-cell lines as measured by the expression of the bacterial gene chloramphenicol acetyltransferase. This indicates that stimulation of HIV gene expression by HHV-6 could play a role in HIV pathogenesis.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)970-973
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of virology
Volume63
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 1989
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Insect Science
  • Virology

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