Induction of a Novel Cellular Homolog of Interleukin-10, AK155, by Transformation of T Lymphocytes with Herpesvirus Saimiri

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Abstract
Although herpesvirus saimiri-transformed T lymphocytes retain multiple normal T-cell functions, only a few changes have been described. By subtractive hybridization, we have isolated a novel cellular gene,ak155, a sequence homolog of the interleukin-10 gene. Specifically herpesvirus saimiri-transformed T cells overexpressak155and secrete the protein into the supernatant. In other T-cell lines and in native peripheral blood cells, but not in B cells,ak155is transcribed at low levels. AK155 forms homodimers similarly to interleukin-10. As a lymphokine, AK155 may contribute to the transformed phenotype of human T cells after infection by herpesvirus saimiri.