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Int J Biol Sci 2016; 12(11):1309-1318. doi:10.7150/ijbs.16564

Review

Epstein-Barr virus lytic reactivation regulation and its pathogenic role in carcinogenesis

Hongde Li^1,2,3, Sufang Liu⁴, Jianmin Hu^1,2,3, Xiangjian Luo^1,2,3, Namei Li^1,2,3, Ann M.Bode⁵, Ya Cao^1,2,3✉

1. Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Invasion, Chinese Ministry of Education, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China
2. Cancer Research Institute, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China
3. Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Chinese Ministry of Health, Changsha 410078, China
4. Division of Hematology, Institute of Molecular Hematology, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
5. The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN 55912, USA

Abstract

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been associated with several types of human cancers. In the host, EBV can establish two alternative modes of life cycle, known as latent or lytic and the switch from latency to the lytic cycle is known as EBV reactivation. Although EBV in cancer cells is found mostly in latency, a small number of lytically-infected cells promote carcinogenesis through the release of growth factors and oncogenic cytokines. This review focuses on the mechanisms by which EBV reactivation is controlled by cellular and viral factors, and discusses how EBV lytic infection contributes to human malignancies.

Keywords: Zta, Rta, Epstein-Barr virus, latency, reactivation, carcinogenesis