The unique combination of VP16 with HCF-1 and Oct-1 provides evidence to explain why HSV can establish latent infection in sensory neurons: (1) as a cell proliferating factor, HCF-1 will change its status in non-proliferating cells to adapt to or even promote the cessation of cell proliferation. Here, HCFC1 is linked to disease arising from reactivation of latent virus.