Figure 4.
Summary model of the two-tier modulation by ribavirin on the eIF4E RNA regulon and thus Akt signaling. Arrows do not necessarily represent a single-step process. In yellow are some of the known subset of mRNAs sensitive to eIF4E export activity (e.g. NBS1, cyclin D1, and c-myc), whilst in orange are mRNAs sensitive to eIF4E translation activity (e.g. VEGF, and c-myc), of which several are downstream effectors of Akt. Note that not every mRNA is affected by eIF4E (and thus ribavirin) at both the mRNA export and translation levels (see introduction). Thus, the model is not meant to depict this, but rather to show that both arms of eIF4E function impact on its abilities to modulate gene expression. In this way, ribavirin is positioned to potently impair the biological effects of eIF4E.