The Gene That Encodes the Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Latency-Associated Transcript Influences the Accumulation of Transcripts (Bcl-x_L and Bcl-x_s) That Encode Apoptotic Regulatory Proteins

Authors

• Weiping Peng, University of Nebrasksa - Lincoln
• Gail A. Henderson, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
• Guey-Chuen Perng, University of California Irvine College of Medicine, Irvine, California
• Anthony B. Nesburn, University of California Irvine College of Medicine, Irvine, California
• Steven L. Wechsler, University of California Irvine College of Medicine, Irvine, California
• Clinton J. Jones, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

October 2003

Comments

Published in JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY, Oct. 2003, p. 10714–10718 Vol. 77, No. 19. Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. Used by permission.

Abstract

The herpes simplex virus type 1 latency-associated transcript (LAT) inhibits apoptosis. We demonstrate here that LAT influences the accumulation of the Bcl-x_L transcript versus the Bcl-x_S transcript in Neuro-2A cells. Bcl-x_L encodes an antiapoptotic protein, whereas Bcl-x_S encodes a proapoptotic protein. Promoting the accumulation of Bcl-x_L in neurons may inhibit apoptosis, thus enhancing the latency-reactivation cycle.