Y. Bennasser et al., HIV-1 tat protein induces interleukin-10 production by human peripheral blood monocytes, FIFTH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON EXPERIMENTAL AIDS RESEARCH (ECEAR 2000), 2000, pp. 11-17
In HIV-infected patients, production of IL-IO, a highly immunosuppressive c
ytokine, is associated with the progression of the disease towards AIDS. HI
V-1 Tat, a protein secreted by infected cells and found free in the plasma
of HIV-infected patients where it can interact with both infected and non-i
nfected cells, could participate in this immune system disorder.
In the present work, we show that Tat induces IL-IO production by periphera
l blood monocytes of healthy donors in a dose and stimulation time-dependen
t manner. We show that the protein kinase C pathway plays an essential role
in IL-10 production and exogenous Tat activates a potential substrate of P
KC the trancriptionnal factor NFkB, that is required for IL-10 prodution,.
Finally our results suggest that the effects of Tat are exerted at the memb
rane level.