RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Lee, Junsub A1 Koh, Kyungmi A1 Kim, Young-Eui A1 Ahn, Jin-Hyun A1 Kim, SunyoungYR 2013 T1 Upregulation of Nrf2 expression by human cytomegalovirus infection protects host cells from oxidative stress JF Journal of General Virology, VO 94 IS 7 SP 1658 OP 1668 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/vir.0.052142-0 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1465-2099, AB NF-E2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a transcription factor that plays a key role(s) in cellular defence against oxidative stress. In this study, we showed that the expression of Nrf2 was upregulated in primary human foreskin fibroblasts (HFFs), following human cytomegalovirus (HCMV/HHV-5) infection. The expression of haem oxygenase-1, a downstream target of Nrf2, was also increased by HCMV infection, and this induction was suppressed in HFFs expressing a small hairpin RNA (shRNA) against Nrf2. The HCMV-mediated increase in Nrf2 expression was abolished when UV-irradiated virus was used or when the activity of casein kinase 2 was inhibited. Host cells infected by HCMV had higher survival rates following oxidative stress induced by buthionine sulfoximine compared with uninfected control cells, but this cell-protective effect was abolished by the use of Nrf2 shRNA. Our results suggest that HCMV-mediated activation of Nrf2 might be beneficial to the virus by increasing the host cell’s ability to cope with oxidative stress resulting from viral infection and/or inflammation., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/vir.0.052142-0