Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Nef mediates sustained membrane expression of tumor necrosis factor and the related cytokine LIGHT on activated T cells.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Nef downregulates the antigen recognition molecules major histocompatibility complex class I and CD4. Downregulation of surface CD4 by Nef relies on the ability of this viral protein to redirect the endocytic machinery to CD4. However, by redirecting the endocytic machinery, Nef may affect the internalization rates of other proteins. Here we show that Nef simultaneously enhances surface expression of the effector cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and LIGHT, leading to enhanced cytokine activity. A dileucine motif in Nef, which is essential for CD4 downregulation and is involved in the recruitment of adapter protein complexes by Nef, was required to increase surface levels of both cytokines. The physiological impact of the Nef-mediated interference with endocytosis was demonstrated by the fact that a TNF-responsive T-cell line chronically infected with HIV produced higher levels of p24 viral protein following expression of a Nef-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion protein. This enhancement was dependent on the levels of membrane-bound TNF, since it was abrogated by a recombinant soluble TNF receptor. Expression of Nef-GFP in human 293T cells reduced the endocytosis of LIGHT, whereas at the same time CD4 internalization was accelerated. Taken together, these results suggest that in infected cells Nef interferes with the internalization of these effector cytokines. By increasing TNF expression, Nef could accelerate disease progression in infected individuals. These findings may help explain the pleiotropic functions that Nef plays during infection and disease.