Open AccessHerpesviruses survival strategies – latency and apoptosis
Author(s) -
Dariusz Miszczak,
Anna Słońska,
Anna Golke,
Joanna Cymerys
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
postępy higieny i medycyny doświadczalnej
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.275
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 1732-2693
pISSN - 0032-5449
DOI - 10.5604/17322693.1044688
Subject(s) - apoptosis , biology , virus , virus latency , herpesviridae , programmed cell death , latency (audio) , virology , phenotype , bone marrow , microbiology and biotechnology , progenitor cell , downregulation and upregulation , immunology , gene , viral replication , genetics , stem cell , viral disease , electrical engineering , engineering
Apoptosis is a process of programmed cell death in response to various stimuli, including virus infection. Herpesviruses have evolved the ability to interfere with apoptosis by its inhibition or activation in host cells. They can interfere with the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways of apoptosis. A special feature of herpesviruses is establishing a latent infection, during which expression of virus genes is strongly restricted and production of infectious virus particles is not observed. HSV-1 establishes latency in neurons, CMV in bone marrow progenitor cells and monocytes, EBV and HHV-8 in B cells. Studies show that latent infections also depend on prevention of the death of the infected cells. Control of apoptosis machinery by viruses may be critical for their reproduction and provision of the adequate yield of progeny virions. The present article summarizes the current knowledge about the latent viral infection and mechanisms of apoptosis modulation by selected viruses from the Herpesviridae family.