This paper may have implications for all medical problems that involved HHV-6, like AIDS, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Autism.
Raf/MEK/ERK signaling: Implications in the infection and pathogenesis of viruses associated with AIDS
Audy G. Whitman, Ossie F. Dyson, Patrick W. Ford, Shaw M. Akula*
Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is characterized by failure of the immune system that is overwhelmed by an organized and well orchestrated invasion by various opportunistic pathogens. Cancers associated with AIDS are predominantly caused by viruses. Oncoproteins are directly involved in the initiation of neoplastic transformation. Recently, the presence of activating mutations in Raf has been described in a variety of cancers. Raf expression enhances Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) infection of cells. KSHV is an etiology for Kaposi's sarcoma (KS); a condition commonly associated with AIDS. In addition, Raf associated signaling also regulates expression of various growth factors (GFs)/inflammatory cytokines (ICs). Since, AIDS is a condition that is regulated by aberrant GF/IC expression, we analyzed a possible role for Raf expression in the infection and pathogenesis of AIDS associated viruses in this review. This review also attempts to rationalize on why Raf associated signaling could well be a novel target to treat disease conditions due to viruses associated with AIDS.
http://www.gtmb.org/VOL9A/GTMBVOL9AHTML/08._Whitman_et_al,_51-60.html