Activation of the HIV-1 LTR by KSHV ORF45

What is it about?

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is a prominent AIDS-associated pathogen. Previous studies have shown that infection of cells containing human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) with KSHV leads to potent stimulation of HIV-1 gene expression by activating the HIV-1 promoter, termed the LTR. Here, we compared the ability of various KSHV proteins to activate gene expression from the HIV-1 LTR and found that KSHV ORF45 is the most potent activator.

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Why is it important?

Collectively, our findings provide new insight into the inter-viral interactions between KSHV and HIV that may ultimately impact disease.