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Epstein-Barr virus subverts mevalonate and fatty acid pathways to promote infected B-cell proliferation and survival.

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Wang, Zhonghao 
Ersing, Ina 

Abstract

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) causes infectious mononucleosis and is associated with multiple human malignancies. EBV drives B-cell proliferation, which contributes to the pathogenesis of multiple lymphomas. Yet, knowledge of how EBV subverts host biosynthetic pathways to transform resting lymphocytes into activated lymphoblasts remains incomplete. Using a temporal proteomic dataset of EBV primary human B-cell infection, we identified that cholesterol and fatty acid biosynthetic pathways were amongst the most highly EBV induced. Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA2), sterol response element binding protein (SREBP) and MYC each had important roles in cholesterol and fatty acid pathway induction. Unexpectedly, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor chemical epistasis experiments revealed that mevalonate pathway production of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP), rather than cholesterol, was necessary for EBV-driven B-cell outgrowth, perhaps because EBV upregulated the low-density lipoprotein receptor in newly infected cells for cholesterol uptake. Chemical and CRISPR genetic analyses highlighted downstream GGPP roles in EBV-infected cell small G protein Rab activation. Rab13 was highly EBV-induced in an EBNA3-dependent manner and served as a chaperone critical for latent membrane protein (LMP) 1 and 2A trafficking and target gene activation in newly infected and in lymphoblastoid B-cells. Collectively, these studies identify highlight multiple potential therapeutic targets for prevention of EBV-transformed B-cell growth and survival.

Description

Keywords

Alkyl and Aryl Transferases, B-Lymphocytes, Cell Proliferation, Cell Survival, Cholesterol, Epstein-Barr Virus Infections, Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens, Fatty Acids, Herpesvirus 4, Human, Host Microbial Interactions, Humans, Metabolic Networks and Pathways, Mevalonic Acid, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc, Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 2, Viral Proteins, rab GTP-Binding Proteins

Journal Title

PLoS Pathog

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1553-7366
1553-7374

Volume Title

15

Publisher

Public Library of Science (PLoS)

Rights

All rights reserved
Sponsorship
Wellcome Trust (108070/Z/15/Z)