title: Immune control of oncogenic γ-herpesviruses.
abstract: Human γ-herpesviruses contain Epstein Barr virus (EBV), the first human tumor virus that was identified in man, and Kaposi Sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV), one of the most recently identified human oncogenic pathogens. Both of these have co-evolved with humans to cause tumors only in a minority of infected individuals, despite their exquisite ability to establish persistent infections. In this review we will summarize the fine-tuned balance between immune responses, immune escape and cellular transformation by these viruses, which results in life-long persistent, but asymptomatic infection with immune control in most virus carriers. A detailed understanding of this balance is required to immunotherapeutically reinstall it in patients that suffer from EBV and KSHV associated malignancies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Harlyne J. Norris Cancer Research Tower, 1450 Biggy Street, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA. Electronic address: jaeujung@med.usc.edu.
authors.forename: Jae
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Viral Immunobiology, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: christian.muenz@uzh.ch.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Münz
mesh_terms: D063646:Carcinogenesis; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D057131:Immune Evasion; D009858:Oncogenic Viruses / Q000276:immunology*