LMP1 excludes E2F4 (red) from the nucleus (arrows).
EBV infection leads to excessive cell proliferation that can cause disorders such as carcinoma and lymphoma. Cells normally prevent unusual proliferation by inducing the p16INK4a/RB-dependent senescence pathway. But the authors show that EBV bypasses this failsafe by relocating transcription factors for this pathway to the cytoplasm.
Nuclear export was induced by the viral protein LMP1. EBV infection or LMP1 expression caused the export of Ets2, the inducer of p16INK4a transcription. LMP1 also kicked out transcription factors E2F4 and E2F5, which normally act downstream of p16INK4a to prevent cell cycle progression. LMP1 induces export of its targets by increasing their affinity...
