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Updated: Jan 3, 2026

A High Resolution Method to Monitor Phosphorylation-dependent Activation of IRF3
Published on: January 24, 2016
Protein inhibitor of activated STAT1 (PIAS1) inhibits IRF8 activation of Epstein-Barr virus lytic gene expression
Kun Zhang1, Dong-Wen Lv1, Renfeng Li2
1Department of Oral and Craniofacial Molecular Biology, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA; Philips Institute for Oral Health Research, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
Abstract:
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a major human oncogenic pathogen, establishes life-long persistent infections. In latently infected B lymphocytes, the virus persists as an episome in the nucleus. Periodic reactivation of latent virus is controlled by both viral and cellular factors. Our recent studies showed that interferon regulatory factor 8 (IRF8) is required for EBV lytic reactivation while protein inhibitor of activated STAT1 (PIAS1) functions as an EBV restriction factor to block viral reactivation. Here, we show that IRF8 directly binds to the EBV genome and regulates EBV lytic gene expression together with PU.1 and EBV transactivator RTA. Furthermore, our study reveals that PIAS1 antagonizes IRF8/PU.1-mediated lytic gene activation through binding to and inhibiting IRF8. Together, our study establishes IRF8 as a transcriptional activator in promoting EBV reactivation and defines PIAS1 as an inhibitor of IRF8 to limit lytic gene expression.
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