Association of simian immunodeficiency virus Nef with the T-cell receptor (TCR) zeta chain leads to TCR down-modulation

I Bell, C Ashman, J Maughan… - Journal of General …, 1998 - microbiologyresearch.org
I Bell, C Ashman, J Maughan, E Hooker, F Cook, TA Reinhart
Journal of General Virology, 1998microbiologyresearch.org
The Nef protein of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) is dispensable for replication in
established T-cell lines but essential for high level virus replication in the adult host, though
the mechanism by which Nef contributes to this has remained unclear. We demonstrate here
that SIV Nef binds to the ζ chain of the T-cell receptor (TCR). SIV Nef proteins that interact
with TCR ζ in a yeast two-hybrid system also reduce T-cell surface expression levels of TCR
α β, CD3 and CD4. These findings are the first demonstration that Nef can bind directly to a …
The Nef protein of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) is dispensable for replication in established T- cell lines but essential for high level virus replication in the adult host, though the mechanism by which Nef contributes to this has remained unclear. We demonstrate here that SIV Nef binds to the ζ chain of the T-cell receptor (TCR). SIV Nef proteins that interact with TCR ζ in a yeast two-hybrid system also reduce T-cell surface expression levels of TCR αβ, CD3 and CD4. These findings are the first demonstration that Nef can bind directly to a component of the TCR-CD3 complex and modulate its surface expression.
Microbiology Research