title: Fatty acid synthase expression is induced by the Epstein-Barr virus immediate-early protein BRLF1 and is required for lytic viral gene expression.
abstract: The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) immediate-early (IE) protein BRLF1 (R) is a transcription factor that induces the lytic form of EBV infection. R activates certain early viral promoters through a direct binding mechanism but induces transcription of the other EBV IE gene, BZLF1 (Z), indirectly through cellular factors binding to a CRE motif in the Z promoter (Zp). Here we demonstrate that R activates expression of the fatty acid synthase (FAS) cellular gene through a p38 stress mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent mechanism. B-cell receptor engagement of Akata cells also increases FAS expression. The FAS gene product is required for de novo synthesis of the palmitate fatty acid, and high-level FAS expression is normally limited to liver, brain, lung, and adipose tissue. We show that human epithelial tongue cells lytically infected with EBV (from oral hairy leukoplakia lesions) express much more FAS than uninfected cells. Two specific FAS inhibitors, cerulenin and C75, prevent R activation of IE (Z) and early (BMRF1) lytic EBV proteins in Jijoye cells. In addition, cerulenin and C75 dramatically attenuate IE and early lytic gene expression after B-cell receptor engagement in Akata cells and constitutive lytic viral gene expression in EBV-positive AGS cells. However, FAS inhibitors do not reduce lytic viral gene expression induced by a vector in which the Z gene product is driven by a strong heterologous promoter. In addition, FAS inhibitors do not reduce R activation of a naked DNA reporter gene construct driven by the Z promoter (Zp). These results suggest that cellular FAS activity is important for induction of Z transcription from the intact latent EBV genome, perhaps reflecting the involvement of lipid-derived signaling pathways or palmitoylated proteins. Furthermore, using FAS inhibitors may be a completely novel approach for blocking the lytic form of EBV replication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA.
authors.forename: Yuling
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Webster-Cyriaque
authors.forename: Christine C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Tomlinson
authors.forename: Marielle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yohe
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kenney
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006367:HeLa Cells; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017733:Leukoplakia, Hairy / Q000201:enzymology / Q000821:virology; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000378:metabolism; D014059:Tongue / Q000201:enzymology / Q000821:virology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014779:Virus Replication; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
chemical_list: C068382:BRLF1 protein, Human herpesvirus 4; C063676:BZLF1 protein, Herpesvirus 4, Human; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014764:Viral Proteins; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases