title: Latent Membrane Protein 2 (LMP2).
abstract: LMP2A is an EBV-encoded protein with three domains: (a) an N-terminal cytoplasmic domain, which has PY motifs that bind to WW domain-containing E3 ubiquitin ligases and an ITAM that binds to SH2 domain-containing proteins, (b) a transmembrane domain with 12 transmembrane segments that localizes LMP2A in cellular membranes, and (c) a 27-amino acid C-terminal domain which mediates homodimerization and heterodimerization of LMP2 protein isoforms. The most prominent two isoforms of the protein are LMP2A and LMP2B. The LMP2B isoform lacks the 19-amino acid N-terminal domain found in LMP2A, which modulates cellular signaling resulting in a baseline activation of B cells and degradation of cellular kinases leading to the downregulation of normal B cell signaling pathways. These two seemingly contradictory processes allow EBV to establish and maintain latency. LMP2 is expressed in many EBV-associated malignancies. While its antigenic properties may be useful in developing LMP2-specific immunity, the LMP2A N-terminal motifs also provide a basis to target LMP2A-modulated cellular kinases for the development of treatment strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cen
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA. r-longnecker@northwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Longnecker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C037662:EBV-associated membrane antigen, Epstein-Barr virus; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins
keywords: Epstein-Barr virus; LMP2A; Lyn; Signal transduction; Syk