HTLV-1 gene expression by defective proviruses in an infected T-cell line

We have examined human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) gene expression in the human T-cell line, C8166-45 (C81), as a model to define the gene products expressed from defective proviruses. C81 cells contain one complete and two different deleted proviral genomes. The internal deletions of the latter encompass most of the gag to env region. All three proviruses are transcriptionally active as evidenced by the presence of three unspliced nuclear mRNAs. Unspliced genomic mRNAs and singly spliced env mRNAs were present in the nucleus, but were not detected in the cytoplasm, suggesting a defect in Rex function. Three small cytoplasmic mRNAs were observed and are likely to correspond to the normal 1.8-kb Tax1/Rex1 mRNA, a 1.6-kb mRNA formed by splicing the 5'LTR to the pX region, and a 2.1-kb mRNA of unknown origin. Consistent with the subcellular mRNA distribution pattern, the viral structural proteins encoded by gag and env genes were not detected. The transcriptional transactivator protein, Tax1 (p40), was abundantly expressed in C81 cells; in addition, a 42-kDa Tax1 protein, unique to this cell line, was also detected. Although Tax1 and Rex1 (p27) are translated from overlapping open reading frames in the same mRNA, Rex1 was not detected in C81 cells. The presence of a premature termination codon in the Tax1/Rex1 mRNA encoded by the full-length provirus was inferred from the presence of small Rex1-related polypeptides lacking C-terminal sequences and confirmed by sequence analysis. Furthermore, a p21X protein lacking the N-terminus of Rex1 was expressed at high levels; our data indicate that p21X is translated from the 1.6-kb mRNA which is derived primarily from deleted proviruses.