EBV Latency Programs: Molecular and Epigenetic Regulation and Its Role in Disease Pathogenesis.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) asymptomatically infects over 95% of the global population, and poses a great threat to human health. This review summarizes the complex mechanisms underlying EBV latency programs and their roles in both viral persistence and disease development. We comprehensively analyze the four distinct latency programs (0, I, II, and III) and their associated gene expression patterns, with particular emphasis on the key viral proteins, the Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen EBNA1, EBNA2, EBNA3A/B/C, LMP1, and LMP2A/B. The review explores how these latency programs contribute to various EBV-associated malignancies and autoimmune conditions, including Burkitt lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and multiple sclerosis. We detail the multilayered regulation of EBV latency, encompassing epigenetic modifications, chromatin organization, and long-range genomic interactions. Recent advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms of EBV latency maintenance and the virus's interaction with host cellular machinery provide new insights into potential therapeutic approaches for EBV-associated diseases.