A cis element required for induction of the interleukin 2 enhancer by human T-cell leukemia virus type I binds a novel Tax-inducible nuclear protein.

The 40-kDa nuclear protein Tax encoded by human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) can transcriptionally activate the interleukin 2 (IL-2) enhancer even in the presence of the immunosuppressant cyclosporin A, which inhibits the activation of the IL-2 enhancer by T-cell mitogens. We have identified a Tax-responsive element (TxRE) from -164 to -145 bp in the IL-2 enhancer which is sufficient to confer Tax responsiveness. A 45-kDa nuclear protein (TxRE-binding factor [TxREF]), present in Tax-expressing Jurkat cell lines but not in Jurkat cells without Tax, specifically interacts with the 5' TxRE sequence from -164 to -154. Deletion or mutation of this 5' TxRE sequence removes the binding of TxREF in vitro and dramatically reduces Tax activity in vivo. In addition, this site is responsible for the cyclosporin A-resistant expression of the IL-2 enhancer in the presence of Tax. Although the TxREF binding site contains an NF-kappa B like motif, UV cross-linking studies as well as gel retardation analysis reveal that TxREF is distinct from NF-kappa B. These results demonstrate that TxREF is a novel Tax-inducible DNA-binding protein and that TxRE plays a crucial role in mediating Tax-induced IL-2 gene expression.