{
  "abstract": "Co-circulation of multiple viruses within a host can produce pathological outcomes distinct from those of single-virus infections. Over 700 million documented severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic indicate frequent co-circulation of SARS-CoV-2 with other human viruses. However, how SARS-CoV-2 infection influences other viral infections remains unclear. In this study, we investigated how the proteolytic activity of SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease (PLpro) influences infection by other human viruses. In silico analysis identified candidate PLpro cleavage sites across numerous viral proteins, and biochemical assays confirmed that PLpro catalyzes the degradation of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) in a manner requiring its protease activity. Both ectopic PLpro expression and SARS-CoV-2 infection reduced EBNA1 abundance, leading to reactivation of latent EBV. Given the essential role of EBNA1 in maintaining EBV-associated tumorigenesis, SARS-CoV-2 and PLpro-mediated degradation of EBNA1 can be translated into an inhibitory effect on EBV-driven tumor proliferation. These findings establish a molecular mechanism by which SARS-CoV-2 PLpro disrupts EBV latency and suppresses EBV-associated tumorigenesis, positioning EBNA1 as a potential therapeutic target in EBV-related malignancies.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "The Molecular Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China",
    "The Center for Infection and Immunity Study, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China",
    "School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China",
    "State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510120, China",
    "The Division of Basic Research, Guangzhou National Laboratory, Bio-island, Guangzhou 510320, China"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 16,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Liubing Du"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Mengxuan Wang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Xue Liu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Ziliang Peng"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Zhihui Zhang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Zhanjia Zhang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Zhijuan Liang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Qingrong Sun"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Jiaxin Zhuang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Kongyang Ma"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Yao-Qing Chen"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Panpan Hou"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Hua Zhang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Deyin Guo"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Ji-An Pan"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Xiaoxue Peng"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8g730ab1tb2w0.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1016/j.apsb.2026.07.042",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13729527/?tool=EBI",
  "id": "8g730ab1tb2w0",
  "issns": [
    "2211-3835",
    "2211-3843"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13729527",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Original Article"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2730|Viral-associated cancers and disorders"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7171770279",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13729527/pdf/?tool=EBI",
  "pmcid": "PMC13729527",
  "pmid": "42979380",
  "published": "2026-07-30",
  "publisher": "Elsevier",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8g730ab1tb2w0.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-04T15:20:47Z",
      "native_id": "PMC:PMC13729527",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13729527"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-07T12:22:16Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13729527",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsb.2026.07.042"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2730|Viral-associated cancers and disorders",
      "subfield": "oncology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "SARS-CoV-2 inhibits EBV-dependent tumor proliferation through PLpro-mediated degradation of EBNA1",
  "title_text": "SARS-CoV-2 inhibits EBV-dependent tumor proliferation through PLpro-mediated degradation of EBNA1",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-07T12:22:16Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8g730ab1tb2w0",
  "venue": "Acta pharmaceutica Sinica. B",
  "versions": []
}