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Published: 02 June 2006

Alternate functions of viral regulators of cell death

Y-B Chen¹,
S Y Seo²,
D G Kirsch^1,3,
T-T Sheu²,
W-C Cheng² &
…
J M Hardwick^1,2,3

Cell Death & Differentiation volume 13, pages 1318–1324 (2006)Cite this article

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Viruses of all classes encode factors that modulate programmed cell death of the infected host, thereby altering disease pathogenesis. However, the effects of these viral proteins on the cell death machinery also serve additional functions while the infected cell is still alive. They tweak receptor signaling pathways to promote cell proliferation, inhibit autophagy and manipulate host immunity mechanisms. Many antideath factors encoded by viruses localize to mitochondria to prevent cytochrome c release and caspase activation. These factors also have alternative functions, such as controlling mitochondrial shape changes and perhaps cellular energetics. All of these strategies prepare host cells to successfully support a virus infection, but few are understood in molecular detail. This review is dedicated to fellow Illinoian, Stan Korsmeyer, who was a tremendous scholar, leader, friend and colleague. We especially remember and appreciate Stan's remarkable contributions to the cell death field and for his support of our work.

Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites that are adapted to employ cellular replication, transcription, translation and trafficking machineries for the purpose of successful transmission to new hosts. This invasion of normal cellular functions was once thought to entirely explain how viruses kill cells. Although the ‘lytic’ (productive) replication cycles of many viruses indeed result in cell death, these viruses also trigger cells to commit suicide by activating a pathway of programmed cell death.^{1, 2, 3, 4} In multicellular organisms, and in colonies of single-cell species, the activation of cell suicide in response to a virus infection is thought to have arisen during evolution as an effective early defense strategy to prevent the spread of infection.^{5, 6} This ancient altruistic suicide mechanism of infected cells is a crucial component of the innate host response.

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Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, 21205, MD, USA
Y-B Chen, D G Kirsch & J M Hardwick
Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, 21205, MD, USA
S Y Seo, T-T Sheu, W-C Cheng & J M Hardwick
The Oncology Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 500 N. Broadway, Baltimore, 21205, MD, USA
D G Kirsch & J M Hardwick

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Y-B Chen
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Chen, YB., Seo, S., Kirsch, D. et al. Alternate functions of viral regulators of cell death. Cell Death Differ 13, 1318–1324 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.cdd.4401964

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Published: 02 June 2006
Issue date: 01 August 2006
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.cdd.4401964

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Alternate functions of viral regulators of cell death

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Protective and Pathogenic Responses to Chikungunya Virus Infection

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