[Herpesvirus and endoplasmic reticulum stress]

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Virology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is crucial for protein folding and modification.
• ER stress occurs when unfolded or misfolded proteins accumulate in the ER, often during viral infections.
• The unfolded protein response (UPR) is activated to restore ER homeostasis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current research on the interaction between herpesvirus infection and ER stress.
• To elucidate how viruses manipulate the UPR for their benefit.
• To understand the dual role of ER stress in viral pathogenesis.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on herpesviruses and ER stress.
• Analysis of molecular mechanisms underlying UPR manipulation by viruses.
• Synthesis of findings on the positive and negative impacts of ER stress on viral infection.

Main Results:

• Herpesviruses, particularly enveloped DNA viruses, can induce significant ER stress due to the high demand for viral protein processing.
• Viruses have evolved strategies to exploit the UPR, often subverting it to create a favorable environment for replication.
• ER stress can have both detrimental and beneficial effects on herpesvirus infection, depending on the virus and cellular context.

Conclusions:

• The crosstalk between herpesviruses and ER stress is a critical factor in viral pathogenesis.
• Targeting the UPR presents a potential therapeutic strategy against herpesvirus infections.
• Further research is needed to fully unravel the complexities of this interaction.