Activation of p21-activated Kinase 2 and Its Association with Nef Are Conserved in Murine Cells but Are Not Sufficient to Induce an AIDS-like Disease in CD4C/HIV Transgenic Mice

A well conserved feature of human immunodeficiency virus, type 1 (HIV-1) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) Nef is the interaction with and activation of the human p21-activated kinase 2 (PAK2). The conservation of this interaction in other species and its significance for Nef pathogenesis in vivo are poorly documented. In the present study, we measured these parameters in Nef-expressing thymocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells of a transgenic (Tg) mouse model of AIDS (CD4C/HIV). We found that Nef binds to and activates PAK2, but not PAK1 and -3, in these three cell subsets. Nef associates with only a small fraction of PAK2. The Nef-PAK2 complex also comprises β-PIX-COOL. The impact of the Nef-PAK2 association on disease development was also analyzed in Tg mice expressing 10 different Nef mutant alleles. CD4C/HIV Tg mice expressing Nef alleles defective in Nef-PAK2 association (P69A, P72A/P75A, R105A/R106A, Δ56–66, or G2A (myristoylation site)) failed to develop disease of the non-lymphoid organs (kidneys and lungs). Among these, only Tg mice expressing NefP69A and NefG2A showed some depletion of CD4+ T cells, although a down-regulation of the CD4 surface protein was documented in all these Tg lines, except those expressing NefΔ56–66. Among other Tg mice expressing Nef mutants having conserved the Nef-PAK2 association (RD35AA, D174K, P147A/P150A, Δ8–17, and Δ25–65), only Tg mice expressing NefΔ8–17 develop kidney and lung diseases, but all showed partial CD4+ T cell depletion despite some being defective for CD4 down-regulation (RD35AA and D174K). Therefore, Nef can activate murine PAK2 and associate with a small fraction of it, as in human cells. Such activation and binding of PAK2 is clearly not sufficient but may be required to induce a multiorgan AIDS-like disease in Tg mice.