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Ben Ishai P, Davis D, Taylor H, Birnbaum L. Problems in evaluating the health impacts of radio frequency radiation. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 243:115038. [PMID: 36863648 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.115038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
In an effort to clarify the nature of causal evidence regarding the potential impacts of RFR on biological systems, this paper relies on a well-established framework for considering causation expanded from that of Bradford Hill, that combines experimental and epidemiological evidence on carcinogenesis of RFR. The Precautionary Principle, while not perfect, has been the effective lodestone for establishing public policy to guard the safety of the general public from potentially harmful materials, practices or technologies. Yet, when considering the exposure of the public to anthropogenic electromagnetic fields, especially those arising from mobile communications and their infrastructure, it seems to be ignored. The current exposure standards recommended by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) consider only thermal effects (tissue heating) as potentially harmful. However, there is mounting evidence of non-thermal effects of exposure to electromagnetic radiation in biological systems and human populations. We review the latest literature on in vitro and in vivo studies, on clinical studies on electromagnetic hypersensitivity, as well as the epidemiological evidence for cancer due to the action of mobile based radiation exposure. We question whether the current regulatory atmosphere truly serves the public good when considered in terms of the Precautionary Principle and the principles for deducing causation established by Bradford Hill. We conclude that there is substantial scientific evidence that RFR causes cancer, endocrinological, neurological and other adverse health effects. In light of this evidence the primary mission of public bodies, such as the FCC to protect public health has not been fulfilled. Rather, we find that industry convenience is being prioritized and thereby subjecting the public to avoidable risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Ben Ishai
- Department of Physics, Ariel University, Ariel, 4070000, Israel.
| | - Devra Davis
- Environmental Health Trust, Washington, DC, 20002, USA; School of Medicine,Ondokuz-Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey
| | - Hugh Taylor
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 05620, USA
| | - Linda Birnbaum
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and National Toxicology Program, Durham, NC, 27709, USA
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2
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Santiago JC, Westfall DH, Adams SV, Okuku F, Phipps W, Mullins JI. Variation within major internal repeats of KSHV in vivo. Virus Evol 2023; 9:vead034. [PMID: 37325087 PMCID: PMC10266750 DOI: 10.1093/ve/vead034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the etiologic agent of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), yet the viral genetic factors that lead to the development of KS in KSHV-infected individuals have not been fully elucidated. Nearly, all previous analyses of KSHV genomic evolution and diversity have excluded the three major internal repeat regions: the two origins of lytic replication, internal repeats 1 and 2 (IR1 and IR2), and the latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) repeat domain (LANAr). These regions encode protein domains that are essential to the KSHV infection cycle but have been rarely sequenced due to their extended repetitive nature and high guanine and cytosine (GC) content. The limited data available suggest that their sequences and repeat lengths are more heterogeneous across individuals than in the remainder of the KSHV genome. To assess their diversity, the full-length IR1, IR2, and LANAr sequences, tagged with unique molecular identifiers (UMIs), were obtained by Pacific Biosciences' single-molecule real-time sequencing (SMRT-UMI) from twenty-four tumors and six matching oral swabs from sixteen adults in Uganda with advanced KS. Intra-host single-nucleotide variation involved an average of 0.16 per cent of base positions in the repeat regions compared to a nearly identical average of 0.17 per cent of base positions in the remainder of the genome. Tandem repeat unit (TRU) counts varied by only one from the intra-host consensus in a majority of individuals. Including the TRU indels, the average intra-host pairwise identity was 98.3 per cent for IR1, 99.6 per cent for IR2 and 98.9 per cent for LANAr. More individuals had mismatches and variable TRU counts in IR1 (twelve/sixteen) than in IR2 (two/sixteen). There were no open reading frames in the Kaposin coding sequence inside IR2 in at least fifty-five of ninety-six sequences. In summary, the KSHV major internal repeats, like the rest of the genome in individuals with KS, have low diversity. IR1 was the most variable among the repeats, and no intact Kaposin reading frames were present in IR2 of the majority of genomes sampled.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dylan H Westfall
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, 960 Republican St, Seattle, WA 98109-4325, USA
| | - Scott V Adams
- Global Oncology and Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division,Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, 1100 Eastlake Ave, Seattle, 98109-4487 WA, USA
| | - Fred Okuku
- Uganda Cancer Institute, Upper Mulago Hill Road, Kampala, Uganda
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Santiago JC, Adams SV, Towlerton A, Okuku F, Phipps W, Mullins JI. Genomic changes in Kaposi Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus and their clinical correlates. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010524. [PMID: 36441790 PMCID: PMC9731496 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Kaposi sarcoma (KS), a common HIV-associated malignancy, presents a range of clinicopathological features. Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is its etiologic agent, but the contribution of viral genomic variation to KS development is poorly understood. To identify potentially influential viral polymorphisms, we characterized KSHV genetic variation in 67 tumors from 1-4 distinct sites from 29 adults with advanced KS in Kampala, Uganda. Whole KSHV genomes were sequenced from 20 tumors with the highest viral load, whereas only polymorphic genes were screened by PCR and sequenced from 47 other tumors. Nine individuals harbored ≥1 tumors with a median 6-fold over-coverage of a region centering on K5 and K6 genes. K8.1 gene was inactivated in 8 individuals, while 5 had mutations in the miR-K10 microRNA coding sequence. Recurring inter-host polymorphisms were detected in K4.2 and K11.2. The K5-K6 region rearrangement breakpoints and K8.1 mutations were all unique, indicating that they arise frequently de novo. Rearrangement breakpoints were associated with potential G-quadruplex and Z-DNA forming sequences. Exploratory evaluations of viral mutations with clinical and tumor traits were conducted by logistic regression without multiple test corrections. K5-K6 over-coverage and K8.1 inactivation were tentatively correlated (p<0.001 and p = 0.005, respectively) with nodular rather than macular tumors, and with individuals that had lesions in ≤4 anatomic areas (both p≤0.01). Additionally, a trend was noted for miR-K10 point mutations and lower survival rates (HR = 4.11, p = 0.053). Two instances were found of distinct tumors within an individual sharing the same viral mutation, suggesting metastases or transmission of the aberrant viruses within the host. To summarize, KSHV genomes in tumors frequently have over-representation of the K5-K6 region, as well as K8.1 and miR-K10 mutations, and each might be associated with clinical phenotypes. Studying their possible effects may be useful for understanding KS tumorigenesis and disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Clement Santiago
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Scott V. Adams
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Andrea Towlerton
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Fred Okuku
- Uganda Cancer Institute, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Warren Phipps
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - James I. Mullins
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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4
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D’Arcy ME, Castenson D, Lynch CF, Kahn AR, Morton LM, Shiels MS, Pfeiffer RM, Engels EA. Risk of Rare Cancers Among Solid Organ Transplant Recipients. J Natl Cancer Inst 2021; 113:199-207. [PMID: 32462187 PMCID: PMC7850530 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djaa078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immunosuppressed solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) have elevated rates of certain rare cancers caused by viruses. Evaluating risk of rare cancers among SOTRs may provide etiological clues for additional cancers linked to poor immunity and viral infections. METHODS We performed a cohort study of 262 455 SOTRs (1987-2014) from the US SOTR registry linked to 17 population-based cancer registries. First cancers in SOTRs were categorized using an established classification scheme based on site and histology. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) compared risk in SOTRs with the general population. We used Poisson regression to calculate incidence rate ratios according to immune-related SOTR characteristics, including time since transplant (ie, duration of immunosuppression). All statistical tests were 2-sided. RESULTS We examined 694 distinct cancer subtypes, with 33 manifesting statistically significantly elevated SIRs (Bonferroni P < 7.2 × 10-5). All 33 are rare (incidence <6 per 100 000 person-years) and several have known viral etiology (eg, Merkel cell carcinoma: SIR = 24.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 20.8 to 29.1). Additional cancers that were increased include squamous cell carcinomas of the lip (SIR range = 18.3-19.8), eye and adnexa (SIR = 13.8, 95% CI = 7.9 to 22.3), salivary gland (SIR = 9.3, 95% CI = 6.1 to 13.5), and nasal cavity and sinuses (SIR = 4.5, 95% CI = 2.8 to 6.8); sebaceous adenocarcinoma (SIR = 34.3, 95% CI = 26.3 to 44.0); malignant fibrous histiocytoma (15.4); and subtypes of bladder, kidney, lung, and colon cancer (SIR range = 3.2-13.3). Incidence of several cancers increased over time since transplant (Ptrend < .05), including squamous cell carcinomas of the lip, salivary gland, and anogenital sites. CONCLUSIONS SOTRs experience elevated rates of several rare cancers. Because some of these cancers exhibit aggressive behavior with poor outcomes, it is important to further characterize the role of immunity and the potential involvement of oncogenic viruses to improve prevention and treatment.
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MESH Headings
- Adolescent
- Adult
- Aged
- Carcinoma, Merkel Cell/epidemiology
- Carcinoma, Merkel Cell/etiology
- Carcinoma, Merkel Cell/pathology
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/epidemiology
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/etiology
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/immunology
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology
- Female
- Humans
- Immune Tolerance/immunology
- Immunocompromised Host/immunology
- Immunosuppression Therapy/adverse effects
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Neoplasms/epidemiology
- Neoplasms/etiology
- Neoplasms/immunology
- Neoplasms/pathology
- Organ Transplantation/adverse effects
- Rare Diseases/epidemiology
- Rare Diseases/etiology
- Rare Diseases/immunology
- Rare Diseases/pathology
- Registries
- Risk Factors
- Sarcoma, Kaposi/epidemiology
- Sarcoma, Kaposi/etiology
- Sarcoma, Kaposi/immunology
- Sarcoma, Kaposi/pathology
- Skin Neoplasms
- Transplant Recipients
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica E D’Arcy
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | | | - Charles F Lynch
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Amy R Kahn
- Bureau of Cancer Epidemiology, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Lindsay M Morton
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Meredith S Shiels
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Ruth M Pfeiffer
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Eric A Engels
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
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Intra-host changes in Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus genomes in Ugandan adults with Kaposi sarcoma. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1008594. [PMID: 33465147 PMCID: PMC7845968 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Intra-host tumor virus variants may influence the pathogenesis and treatment responses of some virally-associated cancers. However, the intra-host variability of Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), the etiologic agent of Kaposi sarcoma (KS), has to date been explored with sequencing technologies that possibly introduce more errors than that which occurs in the viral population, and these studies have only studied variable regions. Here, full-length KSHV genomes in tumors and/or oral swabs from 9 Ugandan adults with HIV-associated KS were characterized. Furthermore, we used deep, short-read sequencing using duplex unique molecular identifiers (dUMI)–random double-stranded oligonucleotides that barcode individual DNA molecules before library amplification. This allowed suppression of PCR and sequencing errors to ~10−9/base as well as afforded accurate determination of KSHV genome numbers sequenced in each sample. KSHV genomes were assembled de novo, and rearrangements observed were confirmed by PCR and Sanger sequencing. 131-kb KSHV genome sequences, excluding major repeat regions, were successfully obtained from 23 clinical specimens, averaging 2.3x104 reads/base. Strikingly, KSHV genomes were virtually identical within individuals at the point mutational level. The intra-host heterogeneity that was observed was confined to tumor-associated KSHV mutations and genome rearrangements, all impacting protein-coding sequences. Although it is unclear whether these changes were important to tumorigenesis or occurred as a result of genomic instability in tumors, similar changes were observed across individuals. These included inactivation of the K8.1 gene in tumors of 3 individuals and retention of a region around the first major internal repeat (IR1) in all instances of genomic deletions and rearrangements. Notably, the same breakpoint junctions were found in distinct tumors within single individuals, suggesting metastatic spread of rearranged KSHV genomes. These findings define KSHV intra-host heterogeneity in vivo with greater precision than has been possible in the past and suggest the possibility that aberrant KSHV genomes may contribute to aspects of KS tumorigenesis. Furthermore, study of KSHV with use of dUMI provides a proof of concept for utilizing this technique for detailed study of other virus populations in vivo. Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a leading cancer in sub-Saharan Africa and in persons with HIV co-infection. Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV, also referred to as human herpesvirus-8, or HHV-8) is the etiologic agent of KS, but the factors that contribute to the development of KS, which occurs in only a small subset of infected individuals, remain largely unknown. While strain differences or mutations in other tumor viruses are known to affect the risk and progression of their associated cancers, whether genetic variation in KSHV is important to the natural history of KS is unclear. Most studies of KSHV diversity have only characterized ~4% of its 165-kb genome, and the observed variation in some studies is likely to have been impacted by PCR or cloning artifacts. To precisely define genomic diversity of KSHV in vivo, we evaluated full-length viral genomes (except the internal repeat regions) using a technique that greatly lowers sequencing error rates and thus measures genomic diversity much more accurately than previous studies. In addition, we extended our analyses to look for potential tumor-specific changes in the KSHV genomes by examining viruses in both tumor and non-tumor tissues. To these ends, we performed highly sensitive, single-molecule sequencing of whole KSHV genomes in paired KS tumors and oral swabs from 9 individuals with KS. We found that KSHV genomes were virtually identical within the 9 individuals, with no evidence of quasispecies formation or multi-strain infection. However, KSHV genome aberrations and gene-inactivating mutations were found to be common in KS tumors, often impacting the same genes and genomic regions across individuals. Whether theses mutations influence KS tumorigenesis or result from genomic instability commonly found in tumors warrants further study. Lastly, aberrant KSHV genomes were found to be shared by distinct tumors within individuals, suggesting the capacity of KS tumor cells to metastasize and seed new lesions.
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Mollerup S, Asplund M, Friis-Nielsen J, Kjartansdóttir KR, Fridholm H, Hansen TA, Herrera JAR, Barnes CJ, Jensen RH, Richter SR, Nielsen IB, Pietroni C, Alquezar-Planas DE, Rey-Iglesia A, Olsen PVS, Rajpert-De Meyts E, Groth-Pedersen L, von Buchwald C, Jensen DH, Gniadecki R, Høgdall E, Langhoff JL, Pete I, Vereczkey I, Baranyai Z, Dybkaer K, Johnsen HE, Steiniche T, Hokland P, Rosenberg J, Baandrup U, Sicheritz-Pontén T, Willerslev E, Brunak S, Lund O, Mourier T, Vinner L, Izarzugaza JMG, Nielsen LP, Hansen AJ. High-Throughput Sequencing-Based Investigation of Viruses in Human Cancers by Multienrichment Approach. J Infect Dis 2020; 220:1312-1324. [PMID: 31253993 PMCID: PMC6743825 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiz318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Viruses and other infectious agents cause more than 15% of human cancer cases. High-throughput sequencing-based studies of virus-cancer associations have mainly focused on cancer transcriptome data. Methods In this study, we applied a diverse selection of presequencing enrichment methods targeting all major viral groups, to characterize the viruses present in 197 samples from 18 sample types of cancerous origin. Using high-throughput sequencing, we generated 710 datasets constituting 57 billion sequencing reads. Results Detailed in silico investigation of the viral content, including exclusion of viral artefacts, from de novo assembled contigs and individual sequencing reads yielded a map of the viruses detected. Our data reveal a virome dominated by papillomaviruses, anelloviruses, herpesviruses, and parvoviruses. More than half of the included samples contained 1 or more viruses; however, no link between specific viruses and cancer types were found. Conclusions Our study sheds light on viral presence in cancers and provides highly relevant virome data for future reference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Mollerup
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maria Asplund
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Friis-Nielsen
- Department of Bio and Health Informatics, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Helena Fridholm
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thomas Arn Hansen
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - José Alejandro Romero Herrera
- Department of Bio and Health Informatics, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark.,Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Randi Holm Jensen
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Stine Raith Richter
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ida Broman Nielsen
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Carlotta Pietroni
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - David E Alquezar-Planas
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Alba Rey-Iglesia
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Pernille V S Olsen
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ewa Rajpert-De Meyts
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital (Rigshospitalet), Denmark
| | - Line Groth-Pedersen
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Denmark
| | - Christian von Buchwald
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Audiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital
| | - David H Jensen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Audiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital
| | - Robert Gniadecki
- Department of Dermato-Venerology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Copenhagen University Hospital, Bispebjerg Hospital, Denmark
| | - Estrid Høgdall
- Department of Pathology, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jill Levin Langhoff
- Department of Pathology, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Imre Pete
- National Institute of Oncology, Department of Gynecology, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ildikó Vereczkey
- National Institute of Oncology, Department of Gynecology, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Baranyai
- 1st Department of Surgery, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Karen Dybkaer
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Denmark
| | | | | | - Peter Hokland
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Department of Haematology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark
| | - Jacob Rosenberg
- Department of Surgery, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ulrik Baandrup
- Center for Clinical Research, North Denmark Regional Hospital and Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Hjørring, Denmark
| | - Thomas Sicheritz-Pontén
- Department of Bio and Health Informatics, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark.,Centre of Excellence for Omics-Driven Computational Biodiscovery, AIMST University, Kedah, Malaysia
| | - Eske Willerslev
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Søren Brunak
- Department of Bio and Health Informatics, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark.,Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ole Lund
- Department of Bio and Health Informatics, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Tobias Mourier
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lasse Vinner
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jose M G Izarzugaza
- Department of Bio and Health Informatics, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Lars Peter Nielsen
- Department of Autoimmunology and Biomarkers, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen S, Denmark
| | - Anders Johannes Hansen
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
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Starrett GJ, Buck CB. The case for BK polyomavirus as a cause of bladder cancer. Curr Opin Virol 2019; 39:8-15. [PMID: 31336246 PMCID: PMC6901737 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2019.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Revised: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
In 2014, the International Agency for Research on Cancer judged Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) to be a probable human carcinogen. BK polyomavirus (BKPyV, a distant cousin of MCPyV) was ruled a possible carcinogen. In this review, we argue that it has recently become reasonable to view both of these viruses as known human carcinogens. In particular, several complementary lines of evidence support a causal role for BKPyV in the development of bladder carcinomas affecting organ transplant patients. The expansion of inexpensive deep sequencing has opened new approaches to investigating the important question of whether BKPyV causes urinary tract cancers in the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel J Starrett
- National Cancer Institute, Building 37 Room 4118, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892-4263, United States.
| | - Christopher B Buck
- National Cancer Institute, Building 37 Room 4118, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892-4263, United States
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8
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Wells MJ, Jacobson S, Levine PH. An evaluation of HHV-6 as an etiologic agent in Hodgkin lymphoma and brain cancer using IARC criteria for oncogenicity. Infect Agent Cancer 2019; 14:31. [PMID: 31709003 PMCID: PMC6833260 DOI: 10.1186/s13027-019-0248-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) is a ubiquitous double-stranded DNA virus that can cause roseola infantum, encephalitis, and seizure disorders. Several studies have shown an association between HHV-6 and cancer but confirmation of an etiologic role is lacking. We reviewed the criteria for viral causation of cancer used by The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) for six oncogenic viruses and applied criteria to published reports of HHV-6 and its association with Hodgkin lymphoma and brain tumors. METHODS Our major criteria for oncogenicity were finding evidence of the virus in every tumor cell and prevention of the tumor by an antiviral vaccine. Our six minor criteria included: 1) suggestive serologic correlation, such as higher virus antibody levels in cases compared to controls; 2) evidence of the virus in some but not all tumor cells, and 3) time space clustering. We focused on Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) as the primary virus for comparison as HHV-6 and EBV are both Herpesviridae, ubiquitous infections, and EBV is well-accepted as a human oncovirus. Particular attention was given to Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and brain cancer as these malignancies have been the most studied. RESULTS No studies reported HHV-6 satisfying either of the major criteria for oncogenicity. Of the minor criteria used by IARC, serologic studies have been paramount in supporting EBV as an oncogenic agent in all EBV-associated tumors, but not for HHV-6 in HL or brain cancer. Clustering of cases was suggestive for both HL and brain cancer and medical intervention suggested by longer survival in patients treated with antiviral agents was reported for brain cancer. CONCLUSION There is insufficient evidence to indicate HHV-6 is an etiologic agent with respect to HL and brain cancers. We suggest that methods demonstrating EBV oncogenicity be applied to HHV-6. It is important that one study has found HHV-6 in all cancer cells in oral cancer in a region with elevated HHV-6 antibodies and therefore HHV-6 can still be considered a possible human oncogenic virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Wells
- School of Community and Population Health, University of New England, 716 Stevens Ave, Portland, ME 04103 USA
| | - Steven Jacobson
- National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Viral Immunology Section, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Paul H. Levine
- College of Public Health, University of Nebraska, 984355 Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198 USA
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9
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Glycoprotein K8.1A of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Is a Critical B Cell Tropism Determinant Independent of Its Heparan Sulfate Binding Activity. J Virol 2019; 93:JVI.01876-18. [PMID: 30567992 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01876-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
B lymphocytes are the major cellular reservoir in individuals infected with Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), and the virus is etiologically linked to two B cell lymphoproliferative disorders. We previously described the MC116 human B cell line as a KSHV-susceptible model to overcome the paradoxical refractoriness of B cell lines to experimental KSHV infection. Here, using monoclonal antibody inhibition and a deletion mutant virus, we demonstrate that the KSHV virion glycoprotein K8.1A is critical for infection of MC116, as well as tonsillar B cells; in contrast, we confirm previous reports on the dispensability of the glycoprotein for infection of primary endothelial cells and other commonly studied non-B cell targets. Surprisingly, we found that the role of K8.1A in B cell infection is independent of its only known biochemical activity of binding to surface heparan sulfate, suggesting the possible involvement of an additional molecular interaction(s). Our finding that K8.1A is a critical determinant for KSHV B cell tropism parallels the importance of proteins encoded by positionally homologous genes for the cell tropism of other gammaherpesviruses.IMPORTANCE Elucidating the molecular mechanisms by which KSHV infects B lymphocytes is critical for understanding how the virus establishes lifelong persistence in infected people, in whom it can cause life-threatening B cell lymphoproliferative disease. Here, we show that K8.1A, a KSHV-encoded glycoprotein on the surfaces of the virus particles, is critical for infection of B cells. This finding stands in marked contrast to previous studies with non-B lymphoid cell types, for which K8.1A is known to be dispensable. We also show that the required function of K8.1A in B cell infection does not involve its binding to cell surface heparan sulfate, the only known biochemical activity of the glycoprotein. The discovery of this critical role of K8.1A in KSHV B cell tropism opens promising new avenues to unravel the complex mechanisms underlying infection and disease caused by this viral human pathogen.
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10
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Li Y, Shi F, Hu J, Xie L, Bode AM, Cao Y. The Role of Deubiquitinases in Oncovirus and Host Interactions. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2019; 2019:2128410. [PMID: 31396277 PMCID: PMC6668545 DOI: 10.1155/2019/2128410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Infection-related cancer comprises one-sixth of the global cancer burden. Oncoviruses can directly or indirectly contribute to tumorigenesis. Ubiquitination is a dynamic and reversible posttranslational modification that participates in almost all cellular processes. Hijacking of the ubiquitin system by viruses continues to emerge as a central theme around the viral life cycle. Deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) maintain ubiquitin homeostasis by removing ubiquitin modifications from target proteins, thereby altering protein function, stability, and signaling pathways, as well as acting as key mediators between the virus and its host. In this review, we focus on the multiple functions of DUBs in RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs) and stimulator of interferon genes (STING)-mediated antiviral signaling pathways, oncoviruses regulation of NF-κB activation, oncoviral life cycle, and the potential of DUB inhibitors as therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueshuo Li
- 1Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Invasion, Chinese Ministry of Education, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China
- 2Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Science, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China
- 3Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Chinese Ministry of Health, Changsha 410078, China
| | - Feng Shi
- 1Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Invasion, Chinese Ministry of Education, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China
- 2Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Science, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China
- 3Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Chinese Ministry of Health, Changsha 410078, China
| | - Jianmin Hu
- 1Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Invasion, Chinese Ministry of Education, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China
- 2Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Science, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China
- 3Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Chinese Ministry of Health, Changsha 410078, China
| | - Longlong Xie
- 1Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Invasion, Chinese Ministry of Education, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China
- 2Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Science, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China
- 3Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Chinese Ministry of Health, Changsha 410078, China
| | - Ann M. Bode
- 4The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN 55912, USA
| | - Ya Cao
- 1Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Invasion, Chinese Ministry of Education, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China
- 2Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Science, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China
- 3Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Chinese Ministry of Health, Changsha 410078, China
- 5Research Center for Technologies of Nucleic Acid-Based Diagnostics and Therapeutics Hunan Province, Changsha 410078, China
- 6Molecular Imaging Research Center of Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China
- 7National Joint Engineering Research Center for Genetic Diagnostics of Infectious Diseases and Cancer, Changsha 410078, China
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11
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Teixeira AA, Marchiò S, Dias-Neto E, Nunes DN, da Silva IT, Chackerian B, Barry M, Lauer RC, Giordano RJ, Sidman RL, Wheeler CM, Cavenee WK, Pasqualini R, Arap W. Going viral? Linking the etiology of human prostate cancer to the PCA3 long noncoding RNA and oncogenic viruses. EMBO Mol Med 2018; 9:1327-1330. [PMID: 28751581 PMCID: PMC5623838 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201708072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The hypothesis is discussed that prostate cancer marker lncRNA PCA3 was introduced into the human genome by an oncogenic virus, and that viral infection‐related mechanisms might underlie its overexpression and prostate cancer initiation and/or progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre A Teixeira
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.,Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Serena Marchiò
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.,Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA.,Department of Oncology, University of Torino School of Medicine, Torino, TO, Italy.,Candiolo Cancer Institute-Fondazione del Piemonte per l'Oncologia (FPO), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Candiolo, TO, Italy
| | - Emmanuel Dias-Neto
- Laboratory of Medical Genomics, A.C.Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, Brazil.,Laboratory of Neurosciences, Institute of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Diana N Nunes
- Laboratory of Medical Genomics, A.C.Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Israel T da Silva
- Laboratory of Computational Biology, A.C.Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Bryce Chackerian
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Marc Barry
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.,Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Richard C Lauer
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Ricardo J Giordano
- Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Richard L Sidman
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Cosette M Wheeler
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Webster K Cavenee
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Renata Pasqualini
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.,Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Wadih Arap
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
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12
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Abstract
Cancer is ubiquitous in wildlife, affecting animals from bivalves to pachyderms and cetaceans. Reports of increasing frequency demonstrate that neoplasia is associated with substantial mortality in wildlife species. Anthropogenic activities and global weather changes are shaping new geographical limitations for many species, and alterations in living niches are associated with visible examples of genetic bottlenecks, toxin exposures, oncogenic pathogens, stress and immunosuppression, which can all contribute to cancers in wild species. Nations that devote resources to monitoring the health of wildlife often do so for human-centric reasons, including for the prediction of the potential for zoonotic disease, shared contaminants, chemicals and medications, and for observing the effect of exposure from crowding and loss of habitat. Given the increasing human footprint on land and in the sea, wildlife conservation should also become a more important motivating factor. Greater attention to the patterns of the emergence of wildlife cancer is imperative because growing numbers of species are existing at the interface between humans and the environment, making wildlife sentinels for both animal and human health. Therefore, monitoring wildlife cancers could offer interesting and novel insights into potentially unique non-age-related mechanisms of carcinogenesis across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia A Pesavento
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
| | - Dalen Agnew
- Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Michael K Keel
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Kevin D Woolard
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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13
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Miller JT, Zhao H, Masaoka T, Varnado B, Cornejo Castro EM, Marshall VA, Kouhestani K, Lynn AY, Aron KE, Xia A, Beutler JA, Hirsch DR, Tang L, Whitby D, Murelli RP, Le Grice SFJ. Sensitivity of the C-Terminal Nuclease Domain of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus ORF29 to Two Classes of Active-Site Ligands. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2018; 62:e00233-18. [PMID: 30061278 PMCID: PMC6153795 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00233-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), the etiological agent of Kaposi's sarcoma, belongs to the Herpesviridae family, whose members employ a multicomponent terminase to resolve nonparametric viral DNA into genome-length units prior to their packaging. Homology modeling of the ORF29 C-terminal nuclease domain (pORF29C) and bacteriophage Sf6 gp2 have suggested an active site clustered with four acidic residues, D476, E550, D661, and D662, that collectively sequester the catalytic divalent metal (Mn2+) and also provided important insight into a potential inhibitor binding mode. Using this model, we have expressed, purified, and characterized the wild-type pORF29C and variants with substitutions at the proposed active-site residues. Differential scanning calorimetry demonstrated divalent metal-induced stabilization of wild-type (WT) and D661A pORF29C, consistent with which these two enzymes exhibited Mn2+-dependent nuclease activity, although the latter mutant was significantly impaired. Thermal stability of WT and D661A pORF29C was also enhanced by binding of an α-hydroxytropolone (α-HT) inhibitor shown to replace divalent metal at the active site. For the remaining mutants, thermal stability was unaffected by divalent metal or α-HT binding, supporting their role in catalysis. pORF29C nuclease activity was also inhibited by two classes of small molecules reported to inhibit HIV RNase H and integrase, both of which belong to the superfamily of nucleotidyltransferases. Finally, α-HT inhibition of KSHV replication suggests ORF29 nuclease function as an antiviral target that could be combined with latency-activating compounds as a shock-and-kill antiviral strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer T Miller
- Basic Research Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Haiyan Zhao
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
| | - Takashi Masaoka
- Basic Research Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Brittany Varnado
- Department of Chemistry, Brooklyn College, City University of New York, Brooklyn, New York, USA
| | - Elena M Cornejo Castro
- Viral Oncology Section, AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Vickie A Marshall
- Viral Oncology Section, AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Kaivon Kouhestani
- Basic Research Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Anna Y Lynn
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
| | - Keith E Aron
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
| | - Anqi Xia
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
| | - John A Beutler
- Molecular Targets Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Danielle R Hirsch
- Department of Chemistry, Brooklyn College, City University of New York, Brooklyn, New York, USA
- Molecular Targets Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Liang Tang
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
| | - Denise Whitby
- Viral Oncology Section, AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Ryan P Murelli
- Department of Chemistry, Brooklyn College, City University of New York, Brooklyn, New York, USA
- Ph.D. Program in Chemistry, The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, New York, New York, USA
| | - Stuart F J Le Grice
- Basic Research Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
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14
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Tang KW, Larsson E. Tumour virology in the era of high-throughput genomics. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 372:rstb.2016.0265. [PMID: 28893932 PMCID: PMC5597732 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
With the advent of massively parallel sequencing, oncogenic viruses in tumours can now be detected in an unbiased and comprehensive manner. Additionally, new viruses or strains can be discovered based on sequence similarity with known viruses. Using this approach, the causative agent for Merkel cell carcinoma was identified. Subsequent studies using data from large collections of tumours have confirmed models built during decades of hypothesis-driven and low-throughput research, and a more detailed and comprehensive description of virus-tumour associations have emerged. Notably, large cohorts and high sequencing depth, in combination with newly developed bioinformatical techniques, have made it possible to rule out several suggested virus-tumour associations with a high degree of confidence. In this review we discuss possibilities, limitations and insights gained from using massively parallel sequencing to characterize tumours with viral content, with emphasis on detection of viral sequences and genomic integration events.This article is part of the themed issue 'Human oncogenic viruses'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ka-Wei Tang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 9A, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Erik Larsson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 9A, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
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15
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Cao J, Li D. Searching for human oncoviruses: Histories, challenges, and opportunities. J Cell Biochem 2018; 119:4897-4906. [PMID: 29377246 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.26717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Oncoviruses contribute significantly to cancer burden. A century of tumor virological studies have led to the discovery of seven well-accepted human oncoviruses, cumulatively responsible for approximately 15% of human cancer cases. Virus-caused cancers are largely preventable through vaccination. Identifying additional oncoviruses and virus-caused tumors will advance cancer prevention and precision medicine, benefiting affected individuals, and society as a whole. The historic success of finding human oncoviruses has provided a unique lesson for directing new research efforts in the post-sequencing era. Combing the experiences from these pioneer studies with emerging high-throughput techniques will certainly accelerate new discovery and advance our knowledge of the remaining human oncoviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Cao
- Department of Pathology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Dawei Li
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont.,Department of Computer Science, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont.,Neuroscience, Behavior, Health Initiative, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont.,University of Vermont Cancer Center, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
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16
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Becker JC, Stang A, Hausen AZ, Fischer N, DeCaprio JA, Tothill RW, Lyngaa R, Hansen UK, Ritter C, Nghiem P, Bichakjian CK, Ugurel S, Schrama D. Epidemiology, biology and therapy of Merkel cell carcinoma: conclusions from the EU project IMMOMEC. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2018; 67:341-351. [PMID: 29188306 PMCID: PMC6015651 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-017-2099-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 11/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a highly aggressive, often lethal neuroendocrine cancer. Its carcinogenesis may be either caused by the clonal integration of the Merkel cell polyomavirus into the host genome or by UV-induced mutations. Notably, virally-encoded oncoproteins and UV-induced mutations affect comparable signaling pathways such as RB restriction of cell cycle progression or p53 inactivation. Despite its low incidence, MCC recently received much attention based on its exquisite immunogenicity and the resulting major success of immune modulating therapies. Here, we summarize current knowledge on epidemiology, biology and therapy of MCC as conclusion of the project 'Immune Modulating strategies for treatment of Merkel Cell Carcinoma', which was funded over a 5-year period by the European Commission to investigate innovative immunotherapies for MCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jürgen C Becker
- Translational Skin Cancer Research (tscr), German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), University Hospital of Essen, Universitätsstrasse 1, S05 T05 B, 45141, Essen, Germany.
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Essen, Essen, Germany.
| | - Andreas Stang
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Center of Clinical Epidemiology; c/o Institute of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, University Hospital of Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Axel Zur Hausen
- Department of Pathology, Academisch Ziekenhuis Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Nicole Fischer
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - James A DeCaprio
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Rikke Lyngaa
- Section for Immunology and Vaccinology, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ulla Kring Hansen
- George F. Odland Endowed Chair in Dermatology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Cathrin Ritter
- Translational Skin Cancer Research (tscr), German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), University Hospital of Essen, Universitätsstrasse 1, S05 T05 B, 45141, Essen, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Paul Nghiem
- George F. Odland Endowed Chair in Dermatology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Selma Ugurel
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - David Schrama
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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17
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Chang Y, Moore PS, Weiss RA. Human oncogenic viruses: nature and discovery. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2017; 372:20160264. [PMID: 28893931 PMCID: PMC5597731 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Seven kinds of virus collectively comprise an important cause of cancer, particularly in less developed countries and for people with damaged immune systems. Discovered over the past 54 years, most of these viruses are common infections of humankind for which malignancy is a rare consequence. Various cofactors affect the complex interaction between virus and host and the likelihood of cancer emerging. Although individual human tumour viruses exert their malignant effects in different ways, there are common features that illuminate mechanisms of oncogenesis more generally, whether or not there is a viral aetiology.This article is part of the themed issue 'Human oncogenic viruses'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Chang
- University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, 5117 Centre Ave, Res Pav 1.8, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Patrick S Moore
- University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, 5117 Centre Ave, Res Pav 1.8, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Robin A Weiss
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, Cruciform Bldg 1.3, Gower Street, London WC1 6BT, UK
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18
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Association of cognitive function and liability to addiction with childhood herpesvirus infections: A prospective cohort study. Dev Psychopathol 2017; 30:143-152. [PMID: 28420448 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579417000529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Liability to substance use disorder (SUD) is largely nonspecific to particular drugs and is related to behavior dysregulation, including reduced cognitive control. Recent data suggest that cognitive mechanisms may be influenced by exposure to neurotropic infections, such as human herpesviruses. In this study, serological evidence of exposure to human herpesvirus Herpes simplex virus Type 1 (HSV-1), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) as well as Toxoplasma gondii was determined in childhood (age ~11 years) in 395 sons and 174 daughters of fathers with or without SUD. Its relationships with a cognitive characteristic (IQ) in childhood and with risk for SUD in adulthood were examined using correlation, regression, survival, and path analyses. Exposure to HSV-1, EBV, and T. gondii in males and females, and CMV in males, was associated with lower IQ. Independent of that relationship, EBV in females and possibly in males, and CMV and possibly HSV-1 in females were associated with elevated risk for SUD. Therefore, childhood neurotropic infections may influence cognitive development and risk for behavior disorders such as SUD. The results may point to new avenues for alleviating cognitive impairment and SUD risk.
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19
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Abstract
Virus infections are an important factor in the global burden of human cancer. The discovery and mode of action of human tumour viruses is briefly reviewed together with the promise of prevention through vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- R A Weiss
- Emeritus Professor of Viral Oncology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT
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20
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21
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22
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Gentile G, Micozzi A. Speculations on the clinical significance of asymptomatic viral infections. Clin Microbiol Infect 2016; 22:585-8. [PMID: 27450587 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2016.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Revised: 07/01/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
A detailed understanding of asymptomatic chronic viral infections is critical to analyse their pathogenesis, assess the severity and burden of disease and, where required, optimize public health control measures. Recent studies on herpesviruses showed that the host-virus interactions are modulated by co-infections, emphasizing the relevance of co-infections in determining the clinical expression (from asymptomatic to symptomatic infections) and the severity of herpesvirus-associated diseases (either neoplastic or infectious diseases). To demonstrate causality between viruses (virome) and diseases, Koch's postulates should be adapted adding new knowledge on host-microbe relationship and microbial interactions. In the present review we aim to provide an update on asymptomatic chronic infections and criteria for causality and on the virological, immunological and host-virus interactions in asymptomatic chronic infections in human hosts, focusing on herpetic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Gentile
- Department of Cellular Biotechnologies and Haematology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
| | - A Micozzi
- Department of Cellular Biotechnologies and Haematology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
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23
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Keller EX, Delbue S, Tognon M, Provenzano M. Polyomavirus BK and prostate cancer: a complex interaction of potential clinical relevance. Rev Med Virol 2015; 25:366-78. [PMID: 26308483 DOI: 10.1002/rmv.1851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Revised: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 07/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Several studies associating BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) and prostate cancer (PCa) suggested that this virus may exert its oncogenic activity at early stages of cancer development. The BKPyV oncogene, the large T antigen (LTag), has frequently been detected in areas of proliferative inflammatory atrophy, which is considered a precursor lesion leading to prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and overt PCa. In a recently updated systematic review, the presence of BKPyV was significantly higher in PCa tissues than in healthy control tissues, providing an indication for a link between BKPyV infection and cancer risk. In addition, recent original investigations highlighted an association between expression of the virus and the clinical course of PCa. For example, by studying immune responses elicited against BKPyV LTag, a significant association between LTag positive cancer lesions and a peculiar regulatory profiling has been observed in PCa patients with evidence of disease recurrence after surgical radical prostatectomy. Lastly, a study carried out in a larger cohort of patients undergoing radical prostatectomy revealed the IgG response against LTag as an independent predictor of disease recurrence. Although a full picture of the mechanisms potentially responsible for the involvement of BKPyV in PCa is not available yet, continuing work on this topic should help to refine the potential role of BKPyV in PCa patients, perhaps revealing unsuspected associations with the clinical course of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Etienne Xavier Keller
- Oncology Research Unit, Department of Urology and Division of Surgical Research, University and University Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Serena Delbue
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Mauro Tognon
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology, Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Maurizio Provenzano
- Oncology Research Unit, Department of Urology and Division of Surgical Research, University and University Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Are Demodex mites principal, conspirator, accomplice, witness or bystander in the cause of rosacea? Am J Clin Dermatol 2015; 16:67-72. [PMID: 25666117 DOI: 10.1007/s40257-015-0115-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
As the only permanent human ectoparasite, the role of human Demodex mites in health and diseases remains largely unclarified. In view of the ecological interaction between organisms of two different species, a type of commensalism between Demodex mites and humans (the former benefit, the latter unaffected) is most likely, while parasitism occurs temporarily and spatially in the diseased state (the former benefit, the latter harmed). As part of normal skin microbiota, the causal role of Demodex mites in the initiation of rosacea can neither fulfill the classical Henle-Koch's principal nor the advanced criteria proposed by Fredericks and Relman for molecular detection of non-cultivatable microorganisms. Epidemiological analysis using Hill's criteria fails to support the causative role of Demodex mites in rosacea regarding the strength of association, specificity and temporality of association, biological gradient and plausibility as well as clinical coherence, therapeutic experimentation and medical analogy. In application of Rothman's sufficient cause model to evaluate the contribution of Demodex mites to rosacea on a population basis, Demodex mites can be regarded as a non-necessary, non-sufficient causal factor for certain forms of rosacea. Further strategies to dissect the association between Demodex mites and rosacea may include studying the possible existence of more virulent forms of mites with a higher pathogenicity, the endosymbiotic bacteria in certain life periods of mites, the interactions between mites and human hosts or between mites and environment, and to set up ex vivo culture models for Demodex mites.
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Wendzicki JA, Moore PS, Chang Y. Large T and small T antigens of Merkel cell polyomavirus. Curr Opin Virol 2015; 11:38-43. [PMID: 25681708 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2015.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2014] [Accepted: 01/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV) is the etiological agent of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), a rare and highly lethal human skin cancer. A natural component of skin flora, MCV becomes tumorigenic only after integration into the host DNA together with specific mutations to the viral genome. Research on MCV large T (LT) and small T (sT) antigens, the only viral products expressed in MCC, shows that these major oncoproteins not only possess biochemical functions found in common with other polyomavirus T antigens, but also demonstrate new cellular targets not described in previous polyomavirus models. This review provides a map of the relevant functional motifs and domains in MCV T antigens that have been identified, highlighting their roles in tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin A Wendzicki
- Cancer Virology Program, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Suite 1.8, 5117 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States
| | - Patrick S Moore
- Cancer Virology Program, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Suite 1.8, 5117 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States.
| | - Yuan Chang
- Cancer Virology Program, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Suite 1.8, 5117 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States.
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Schrama D, Groesser L, Ugurel S, Hafner C, Pastrana DV, Buck CB, Cerroni L, Theiler A, Becker JC. Presence of human polyomavirus 6 in mutation-specific BRAF inhibitor-induced epithelial proliferations. JAMA Dermatol 2014; 150:1180-6. [PMID: 24943872 PMCID: PMC8369517 DOI: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2014.1116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE A frequent adverse effect of mutation-specific BRAF inhibitor therapy is the induction of epithelial proliferations including cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas. To date, the only factor identified contributing to their development is the activation of the mitogen-activated signal transduction cascade by mutations in the RAS genes. However, these mutations explain only 60% of the tumors; hence, it is important to identify what is causing the remaining tumors. OBJECTIVE To test for the presence of human papillomaviruses (HPVs) and the recently identified human polyomaviruses (HPyVs), Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), and trichodysplasia spinulosa-associated polyomavirus (TSPyV), as well as HPyV-6, HPyV-7, HPyV-9, and HPyV-10, in epithelial proliferations occurring after BRAF inhibitor therapy to determine whether these oncogenic viruses may contribute to BRAF inhibitor-induced skin tumors. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Retrospective study at a university hospital in Austria of epithelial proliferations that developed in patients with melanoma after initiation of treatment with the BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib. Samples were analyzed for (1) presence of the most frequently observed RAS mutations by SNaPshot technology, (2) detection of the viruses by real-time polymerase chain reaction, and (3) presence of capsid proteins of the most abundantly detected virus by immunohistochemical analysis. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES RAS mutational status, as well as HPV and HPyV presence, in BRAF inhibitor-induced epithelial proliferations. RESULTS Eighteen biopsy samples from 6 patients were retrieved from our hospital's archive. We identified RAS mutations in 10 (62%) of the 16 samples with clear results. DNA of HPyV-9, HPyV-10, and TSPyV were virtually absent in the samples. MCPyV DNA was present in 13 of 18 samples, and HPV, HPyV-6, and HPyV-7 DNA were present in all samples. In general, the amount of DNA encoding the latter viruses was rather low, with the exception of HPyV-6 in several samples of 1 individual patient. Notably, the relevance of the presence of HPyV-6 in the epithelial proliferation was underlined by immunohistochemical detection of the core protein VP1 of HPyV-6. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE The presence of both high HPyV-6 DNA load and VP1 protein suggests that polyomaviruses may contribute to the epithelial proliferations observed in patients receiving BRAF inhibitor therapy, albeit the relative impact as compared with that of RAS mutations appears circumstantial.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Schrama
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria2Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Leopold Groesser
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Selma Ugurel
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Christian Hafner
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Diana V Pastrana
- Laboratory of Cellular Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Christopher B Buck
- Laboratory of Cellular Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Lorenzo Cerroni
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Anna Theiler
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Jürgen C Becker
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
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Binding of the Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus to the ephrin binding surface of the EphA2 receptor and its inhibition by a small molecule. J Virol 2014; 88:8724-34. [PMID: 24899181 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01392-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED The ephrin receptor tyrosine kinase A2 (EphA2) is an entry receptor for Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) that is engaged by the virus through its gH/gL glycoprotein complex. We describe here that natural ephrin ligands inhibit the gH/gL-EphA2 interaction. The effects of point mutations within EphA2 demonstrated that KSHV gH/gL interacts with EphA2 through a restricted set of the same residues that mediate binding of A-type ephrins. Two previously described inhibitors of the EphA2 interaction with ephrin A5 also inhibited binding of KSHV gH/gL to EphA2. The more potent of the two compounds inhibited KSHV infection of blood vessel and lymphatic endothelial cells in the micromolar concentration range. Our results demonstrate that interaction of KSHV with EphA2 occurs in a fashion similar to that of the natural ephrin ligands. Our data further indicate a new avenue for drug development against KSHV. IMPORTANCE Our study reports two important findings. First, we show that KSHV engages its receptor, the receptor tyrosine kinase EphA2, at a site that overlaps the binding site of the natural ephrin ligands. Second, we demonstrate that KSHV infection of target cells can be blocked by a small-molecule inhibitor of the viral glycoprotein-EphA2 interaction. These findings represent a novel avenue for the development of strategies to treat KSHV-associated diseases.
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