Figure 1.

Epigenetic modifications to promoters. Epigenetic modifications to viral or cellular promoters regulate expression of human and viral genes. Bacterial products and or proinflammatory cytokines activate epigenetic marks on viral or cellular promoters, which can promote viral production as well as stimulate the transcription of viral oncogenes. These epigenetic modifiers also stimulate cellular proliferation. The reactivation of a latent virus results not only production of virion, but also may drive cellular transformation.