Repression of Bax Gene Expression by the HTLV-I Tax Protein: Implications for Suppression of Apoptosis in Virally Infected Cells

摘要: Abstract The human T-cell leukemia virus-encoded oncoprotein Tax is a potent deregulator of cellular gene expression. Here we report that represses transcription the bax gene, whose protein product accelerates apoptosis. This repression mediated through 27-bp sequence in promoter contains putative basic helix–loop–helix binding site. Deletion this abolishes Tax-mediated bax. Repression may be biologically significant, as also show HTLV-I-infected cell lines are resistant to variety physical, chemical, and biological stimuli which induce apoptosis uninfected T-cells. genes involved promoting apoptosis, including contribute retroviral survival, initiate pathway toward malignant transformation.