AUTHOR=Damania Blossom , Jacobs Sarah R. TITLE=The Viral Interferon Regulatory Factors of KSHV: Immunosuppressors or Oncogenes? JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology VOLUME=volume 2 - 2011 YEAR=2011 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2011.00019 DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2011.00019 ISSN=1664-3224 ABSTRACT=

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is a large double-stranded DNA gammaherpesvirus, and the etiological agent for three human malignancies: Kaposi’s sarcoma, primary effusion lymphoma, and multicentric Castleman’s disease. To establish and maintain infection, KSHV has evolved unique mechanisms to evade the host immune response. Cellular interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) are a critical part of the host anti-viral immune response. KSHV encodes four homologs of IRFs, vIRF1–4, which inhibit the activity of their cellular counterparts. vIRF1, 2, and 3 have been shown to interact directly with cellular IRFs. Additionally, the vIRFs have other functions such as modulation of Myc, p53, Notch, transforming growth factor-β, and NF-κB signaling. These activities of vIRFs may contribute to KSHV tumorigenesis. KSHV vIRF1 and vIRF3 have been implicated as oncogenes, making the understanding of KSHV vIRF function vital to understanding KSHV pathogenesis.