Upregulation of Cellular Bcl-2 by the KSHV Encoded RTA Promotes Virion Production
2011
How KSHV RTA Increases Bcl-2 to Help Virus Spread
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Gao Jianming, Cai Qiliang, Lu Jie, Jha Hem Chandra, Robertson Erle S.
Primary Institution: Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Hypothesis
RTA can upregulate Bcl-2 expression to enhance KSHV lytic replication.
Conclusion
RTA-mediated upregulation of Bcl-2 prolongs the survival of infected cells and increases virus progeny production.
Supporting Evidence
- RTA enhances Bcl-2 transcript levels in a dose-dependent manner.
- Knockdown of Bcl-2 leads to increased apoptosis and decreased virus production.
- RTA directly interacts with the Bcl-2 promoter to increase its activity.
Takeaway
The study shows that a virus can help itself spread by making infected cells live longer, which is done by increasing a protein called Bcl-2.
Methodology
The study involved transfecting cells with RTA and measuring Bcl-2 levels through RT-PCR and Western blot analyses.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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