The Epstein-Barr virus BARF1 gene encodes a novel, soluble colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor.
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a ubiquitous herpesvirus associated with infectious mononucleosis and several tumors. The BARF1 gene is transcribed early after EBV infection from the BamHI A fragment of the EBV genome. Evidence shown here indicates that the BARF1 protein is secreted into the medium of transfected cells and from EBV-carrying B cells induced to allow lytic replication of the virus. Expression cloning identified colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) as a ligand for BARF1. Computer-assisted analyses indicated that subtle amino acid sequence homology exists between BARF1 and c-fins, the cellular proto-oncogene that is the receptor for CSF-1. Recombinant BARF1 protein was found to be biologically active, and it neutralized the proliferative effects of human CSF-1 in a dose-dependent fashion when assayed in vitro. Since CSF-1 is a pleiotropic cytokine best known for its differentiating effects on macrophages, these data suggest that BARF1 may function to modulate the host immune response to EBV infection.
Strockbine
L D
LD
Immunex Corporation, Seattle, Washington 98101, USA.
Cohen
J I
JI
Farrah
T
T
Lyman
S D
SD
Wagener
F
F
DuBose
R F
RF
Armitage
R J
RJ
Spriggs
M K
MK
D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D005814:Genes, Viral; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D016186:Receptor, Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012995:Solubility; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
C086495:BARF1 protein, Human herpesvirus 4; D008024:Ligands; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D014764:Viral Proteins; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D016186:Receptor, Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor