33
views
0
recommends
+1 Recommend
0 collections
    0
    shares
      • Record: found
      • Abstract: found
      • Article: not found

      Viral latent proteins as targets for Kaposi's sarcoma and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8) induced lymphoma.

      Read this article at

      ScienceOpenPublisherPubMed
      Bookmark
          There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.

          Abstract

          Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8) is present in all Kaposi's sarcoma tumor cells as well as in several lymphomas that are linked to this agent. Every tumor cell expresses the viral latent protein LANA, which is required for KSHV latent replication and proper segregation of the viral episome. In certain tumors, other latent KSHV proteins (LANA-2/vIRF3, v-cyclin, v-IL6) are expressed as well. Since all herpesviruses persist for life in infected individuals, only eradication of latent virus can cure infection. The KSHV latent genes serve as bona fide tumor markers, but do they also provide targets for anti-tumor and/or anti-viral drugs? To decide this question we review the known biochemical interactions between KSHV latent proteins and their viral and cellular partners. Recent epidemiological studies show that KSHV lytic replication precedes KSHV associated cancers. Gancilovir has been linked to KS tumor regression, which implicates the KSHV-encoded polymerase as a potential intervention point. Yet, KSHV specific transactivators might represent more specific targets, as they have no cellular homologs. In particular Rta/orf50 is necessary and sufficient for lytic replication and deserves serious consideration as a target for KSHV-specific antivirals.

          Related collections

          Author and article information

          Journal
          Curr Drug Targets Infect Disord
          Current drug targets. Infectious disorders
          Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
          1568-0053
          1568-0053
          Jun 2003
          : 3
          : 2
          Affiliations
          [1 ] Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 940 Stanton L. Young Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA.
          Article
          10.2174/1568005033481150
          12769790
          571d6617-cc65-4395-a2e9-bfd82f20a7b2
          History

          Comments

          Comment on this article