Viruses and apoptosis

Abstract

Apoptoza je mehanizam kojim se neželjene stanice odstranjuju iz organizma, a poremećaji u regulaciji apoptoze čimbenici su u mnoštvu patoloških stanja. Obzirom na važnu ulogu apoptoze u djelovanju imunološkog sustava, virusi su razvili mnogobrojne mehanizme kojima ometaju njezin proces i time osiguravaju uspješno razmnožavanje i širenje. Sprečavanjem ili odgodom apoptoze može se produljiti raspoloživi vremenski period za proizvodnju novih viriona prije nego putovi biosinteze stanice domaćina, kojima se virus koristi, budu razoreni. S druge strane, određeni genski proizvodi virusa djeluju kao induktori apoptoze, vjerojatno s ciljem otpuštanja i širenja viriona iz inficirane stanice domaćina bez poticanja odgovarajućeg imunološkog odgovora. Ovim smo člankom željeli sažeti glavne mehanizme stanične apoptoze i pružiti primjere na koji način virusi i njihovi genski produkti mogu utjecati na taj proces. Napredak molekularne biologije otvorio je epohu u kojoj bi se virusni geni mogli iskoristiti za proizvodnju čitavog niza terapeutika.Apoptosis is an active process of cell death that doesn\u27t initiate immune system response. Manipulation of the signalling cascades regulating apoptosis can result in a wide variety of human diseases. Viruses have the ability to affect the apoptotic process within the host cell. They can benefit either from the promotion or the inhibition of apoptosis. The benefits of virus avoiding the apoptotic process are obvious but the onset of apoptosis can also be advantageous. It enables the dissemination of virus without initiating a concomitant inflammatory host response. The purpose of this article was to give an overview of the mechanisms of apoptosis and examples for some of the many ways in which viruses and their gene products can influence this process. The progress of molecular biology has opened an era in which viral genes could be used for the production of different therapeutics