EBV BCL-2 Question-HELP, please

[Ian A. York]

In article <D97FvI.28G at riker.neoucom.edu> erozenbo at riker.neoucom.edu (Edgardo Rozenbom) writes:

>	I'm doing a paper, and there's a protein that is produced by the
>Epstein-Barr Virus that has been shown to have homology to the BCL-2. 
>Does anyone know if there has been any sort of assay to test this.  I have

Several groups have shown that this protein (BHRF1) prevents or inhibits
apoptosis. Examples follow.  Also, as you probably know, it's been
suggested (and debated) that the EBV latent membrane protein has been
shown to upregulate cellular Bcl-2, AND there's a recent claim that the
latent protein EBNA-4 inhibits apoptosis, perhaps through Bcl-2, so there
might be a triple whammy here. A few days ago I ran through a partial list
of viruses which inhibit apoptosis, and forgot mention EBV; thanks for the
reminder. 

Dawson CW.  Eliopoulos AG.  Dawson J.  Young LS.
BHRF1, a viral homologue of the Bcl-2 oncogene, disturbs epithelial 
cell differentiation.
Oncogene.  10(1):69-77, 1995

Tarodi B.  Subramanian T.  Chinnadurai G.
Epstein-Barr virus BHRF1 protein protects against cell death induced 
by DNA-damaging agents and heterologous viral infection.
Virology.  201(2):404-7, 1994

Henderson S.  Huen D.  Rowe M.  Dawson C.  Johnson G.  Rickinson A.
Epstein-Barr virus-coded BHRF1 protein, a viral homologue of 
Bcl-2, protects human B cells from programmed cell death.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A.  90(18):8479-83, 1993

Finke J.  Lange W.  Mertelsmann R.  Dolken G. 
BCL-2 induction is part of the strategy of Epstein-Barr virus.
Leukemia & Lymphoma.  12(5-6):413-9, 1994

Silins SL.  Sculley TB.
Burkitt's lymphoma cells are resistant to programmed cell death in 
the presence of the Epstein-Barr virus latent antigen EBNA-4.
Int J Cancer.  60(1):65-72, 1995

-- 
Ian York   (york at mbcrr.harvard.edu)
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 44 Binney St., Boston MA 02115
Phone (617)-632-3921     Fax  (617)-632-2627