Interplay between HIV-1 Vpr and Sp1 modulates p21WAF1 gene expression in human astrocytes

The Vpr (viral protein R) of human immunodeficiency virus, type 1, which is expressed during the late stage of the viral infection, has received special attention because of its ability to control transcription of the human immunodeficiency virus, type 1, long terminal repeat and to influence cell cycle progression. Here we demonstrate that Vpr has the ability to regulate transcription of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p21(WAF1) (p21), one of the key regulators of the cell cycle, in human astrocytic cells. The results from transcription assays demonstrated that Vpr augments promoter activity of p21 through the GC-rich region located between nucleotides -84 and -74 with respect to the + 1 transcription start site. Activation of p21 by Vpr required cooperativity of Sp1, which binds to the DNA sequence spanning -84 to -74. Results from bandshift assay revealed an increased level of Sp1 DNA binding activity in the presence of Vpr. Furthermore, Vpr was able to associate with Sp1 via the zinc finger domain located in the C-terminal region of Sp1. Functional studies revealed that the cooperativity between Vpr and Sp1 requires the zinc finger domain at the C terminus and the glutamine-rich domain at the N terminus of Sp1. Expression of p53 further enhanced the level of Vpr-Sp1-mediated transcription activation of p21 through the sequence spanning -84 to -74 and increased the DNA binding activity of Sp1 in the presence of Vpr. Results from glutathione S-transferase pull-down assay showed the association of Vpr with p53 in extracts containing Sp1. Altogether, the outcome of our functional and binding studies suggested that the physical interaction of Vpr with Sp1 and p53 could modulate transcriptional activity of p21.