Open AccessInduction of the Early Growth Response 1 Gene by Epstein-Barr Virus Lytic Transactivator Zta
Author(s) -
Yao Chang,
Heng-Huan Lee,
Yu Te Chen,
Jean Lu,
Shih Yi Wu,
Chaio Wei Chen,
Kenzo Takada,
Chien-Hung Tsai
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.617
H-Index - 292
eISSN - 1070-6321
pISSN - 0022-538X
DOI - 10.1128/jvi.02608-05
Subject(s) - transactivation , lytic cycle , gene knockdown , biology , epstein–barr virus , downregulation and upregulation , transcription factor , gene expression , egr1 , immediate early gene , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , virus , cancer research , virology , genetics
Early growth response 1 (Egr-1) is a cellular transcription factor involved in diverse biologic functions. Egr-1 has been associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, but it is still unknown whether any EBV protein regulates Egr-1 expression. In this study, we first showed that EBV reactivation is involved in upregulation of Egr-1 and that Egr-1 can be induced by Zta, an EBV lytic transactivator. Zta not only binds to the Egr-1 promoter but also activates the ERK signaling pathway to trigger binding of Elk-1 to the Egr-1 promoter. In addition, knockdown of Egr-1 significantly reduces the spontaneous expression of Zta and Rta in EBV-infected 293 cells, suggesting that a positive-feedback network involving Egr-1 is required for EBV reactivation. This study also implies that Zta has the potential to affect expression of certain genes through Egr-1.