[Effects of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 nef and tat genes on rat PC12 pheochromocytoma cells]

The regulatory genes nef and tat of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) were transferred into the rat pheochromocytoma cells (line PC12) under the control of the eukaryotic promoters. Proliferative activity of the PC12 cells transfected with the tat HIV-1 gene was substantially increased as compared to the control. Conversely, the nef gene introduced into the cultivated PC12 cell caused inhibition of their proliferative activity and formation of cell agglomerates resembling in morphology the multinuclear syncytial cells. Thus, our results suggest that the tat gene activates proliferation of the cultivated PC12 cells, whereas the nef gene inhibits proliferation of the same cells. We have obtained for the first time a direct indication for the possible role of the nef gene in formation of multinuclear T-lymphocyte and macrophage syncytium in HIV-1-infected patients. The HIV-1 nef and tat genes had no significant effect on the neuronal differentiation of the PC12 cells induced by the nerve growth factor (NGF).