Skip to main content

Table 1 EBV immune evasion proteins and microRNAs.

From: Epstein-Barr virus infection: the micro and macro worlds

EBV

gene

Function

/Phase

/Location

Evasion mechanism

Ref.

LMP1

Latency II

Reducing TLR9 promoter activity; decreasing TLR9 mRNA and protein expression levels

[68]

Reducing the phosphorylation of Tyk2 and STAT2; inhibiting IFN pathway activation

[78]

BGLF5

Lytic immune modulator

Depleting TLR9 mRNA and reducing its protein expression level

[69]

Inducing host mRNA degradation; blocking the synthesis of MHC-I

[90]

BPLF1

Tegument

Removing ubiquitin tags from TRAF6; negatively regulating TLR signaling

[45]

Mediating DUB-dependent deubiquitination of TBK1 and STING; inhibiting RIG-I-MAVS and cGAS-STING signaling

[72]

BHRF1

Lytic immune modulator

Inducing mitochondrial fission; causing MAVS protein degradation; blocking RLRs signaling

[70]

miR-BART6-3p

EBV-encoded microRNA

Targeting the 3’UTR of RIG-I mRNA; inhibiting the expression of IFN-β

[71]

BZLF1 (ZTA)

Lytic replication

Binding directly to IRF7; inhibiting IRF7 activation

[75]

Upregulating SOCS3 expression; indirectly inhibiting IFN-α production

[76]

Binding to CIITA; inhibiting MHC-II transcription

[93]

BRLF1 (RTA)

Lytic replication

Reducing the mRNA levels of IRF 3 and IRF7 and the activation of the IFN-β promoter; inhibiting the expression of IFN-β

[77]

LMP2

Latency II

Reducing the phosphorylation of Tyk2, STAT1 and JAK; inhibiting ISG transcription and the IFN production

[79]

LF2

Lytic immune modulator

Binding to IRF7 to block its dimerization; inhibiting IFN-α production

[80]

BGLF4

Late gene expression

Reducing the activity of IFN-β promoter; inhibiting IRF3 signaling

[81]

Interfering with the interaction between NF-κB and UXT; inhibiting the activity of NF-κB

[82]

Phosphorylating SAMHD1; decreasing the activity of dNTPase

[83]

miR-BART18-5p

EBV-encoded microRNA

Targeting MAP3K2; blocking viral replication

[86]

miR-BART4-5p

EBV-encoded microRNA

Downregulating proapoptotic protein BID activity; inhibiting target cells apoptosis

[87]

EBNA1

Latency I

Inhibiting ULBP1 and ULBP5; escaping NK cell recognition

[88]

BNLF2a

Lytic immune modulator

Inhibiting TAP function; preventing loading of antigenic peptides onto MHC-I

[91]

BILF1

Lytic immune modulator

Triggering endocytosis of MHC-I molecules and degradation

[92]

BZLF2

Entry glycoprotein

Binding to MHC-II complex; blocking the antigen recognition of CD4 + T cells

[94]

  1. Abbreviation: EBV, Epstein‒Barr virus; LMP1: latent membrane protein 1; TLR: Toll-like receptor; Tyk: tyrosine kinase; STAT, transducer and activator of transcription; IFN, interferon; MHC-I/II: major histocompatibility complex class I/II molecules; TLR, Toll-like receptor; DUB, deubiquitinase; RIG-I: retinoic acid-inducible gene-I; RLRs: RIG-I -like receptors; MAVS, mitochondrial antiviral signaling; cGAS: cyclic GMP-AMP synthase; cGAMP, cyclic GMP-AMP; STING, stimulator of interferon genes; ER, endoplasmic reticulum; IRF, interferon regulatory factor; CIITA, class II transactivator; ISG, interferon-stimulated gene; IFN, interferon; SAMHD1: sterile alpha motif and HD domain 1; dNTPase: deoxynucleotide triphosphate hydrolase; EBNA: EBV nuclear antigen; ULBP, UL16-binding proteins; NK, natural killer; TAP, transporter associated with antigen processing.