Parvovirus B19 nonstructural (NS1) protein as a transactivator of interleukin-6 synthesis: common pathway in inflammatory sequelae of human parvovirus infections?

This review focuses on the role that human parvovirus B19 nonstructural (NS1) protein as a transactivator of the proinflammatory cytokine, interleukin-6 (IL-6), might play in triggering the multiparametric inflammatory outcomes of B19 infection. Parvovirus B19 is a ubiquitous virus, and it is often expressed during conditions of immunodepression including that induced by long-term chemotherapy, viral infection (HIV, HTLV-1), or genetic immunodeficiency disorders. Through NS1 expression, B19 may contribute to the immune dysregulation associated with these disorders, or serve as a cofactor in enhancing retroviral replication. Hence, NS1 transactivation of proinflammatory cytokine promoters such as IL-6 may be pivotal in triggering the various inflammatory and autoimmune disorders that have been linked to parvovirus B19 infections. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.