Figure 1. Interaction of Human Herpesvirus-8 Proteins with the Tumor-Suppressor Pathways Governed by Retinoblastoma Protein and P53

Human herpesvirus-8 can encode genes that have the capability of inducing cellular proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis. Infection of cells with HHV-8 stimulates expression of multiple factors, including viral cyclin, latency-associated nuclear antigen, viral interleukin-6, viral Bcl-2, and viral FLICE inhibitor protein. These factors can inhibit retinoblastoma protein and p53, thereby affecting two important tumor-suppressor checkpoints in cells. In addition, it appears that human herpesvirus-8 stimulates the production of viral interferon regulatory factor, a factor that prevents interferon from repressing c-myc. This figure is adapted from Antman K, Chang Y. Kaposi's sarcoma. N Engl J Med 2000;342:1027-38. Reproduced with permission from the Massachusetts Medical Society. Copyright © 2000 Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.

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