The EBV early gene product EB2 transforms rodent cells through a signalling pathway involving c-Myc.
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a ubiquitous human herpesvirus associated with several neoplasia. We present evidence here that the protein EB2, an EBV posttranscriptional activator, has transforming properties not only when expressed in established cell lines such as Rat1 or NIH3T3 but also in primary rat fibroblasts (REF). EB2 transformation in Rat1 cells correlates with an increase in the steady-state level of the cellular oncogenic protein c-Myc, and cotransfection of a plasmid expressing Max suppresses the transformation. These results implicate c-Myc in EB2-mediated cell transformation and help define the pathway by which this EBV early protein causes transformation.
Corbo
L
L
Unité de Virologie Humaine, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, INSERM, Lyon, France.
Le Roux
F
F
Sergeant
A
A
D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D051778:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D002455:Cell Division; D002460:Cell Line; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D051379:Mice; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014764:Viral Proteins
C068382:BRLF1 protein, Human herpesvirus 4; D051778:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; C499330:MAX protein, human; C499329:Max protein, rat; C067850:Myc associated factor X; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014764:Viral Proteins; C068422:Max protein, mouse