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Terrazzan A, Vanini R, Ancona P, Bianchi N, Taccioli C, Aguiari G. State-of-the-art in transposable element modulation affected by drugs in malignant prostatic cancer cells. J Cell Biochem 2024; 125:e30557. [PMID: 38501160 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Over recent years, the investigation of transposable elements (TEs) has granted researchers a deeper comprehension of their characteristics and functions, particularly regarding their significance in the mechanisms contributing to cancer development. This manuscript focuses on prostate carcinoma cell lines and offers a comprehensive review intended to scrutinize the associations and interactions between TEs and genes, as well as their response to treatment using various chemical drugs, emphasizing their involvement in cancer progression. We assembled a compendium of articles retrieved from the PubMed database to construct networks demonstrating correlations with genes and pharmaceuticals. In doing so, we linked the transposition of certain TE types to the expression of specific transcripts directly implicated in carcinogenesis. Additionally, we underline that treatment employing different drugs revealed unique patterns of TE reactivation. Our hypothesis gathers the current understanding and guides research toward evidence-based investigations, emphasizing the association between antiviral drugs, chemotherapy, and the reduced expression of TEs in patients affected by prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Terrazzan
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
- Laboratory for Advanced Therapy Technologies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Riccardo Vanini
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Pietro Ancona
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Bianchi
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Cristian Taccioli
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health (MAPS), University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Gianluca Aguiari
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
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Kang Q, Guo X, Li T, Yang C, Han J, Jia L, Liu Y, Wang X, Zhang B, Li J, Wen HL, Li H, Li L. Identification of differentially expressed HERV-K(HML-2) loci in colorectal cancer. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1192900. [PMID: 37342563 PMCID: PMC10277637 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1192900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer is one of the malignant tumors with the highest mortality rate in the world. Survival rates vary significantly among patients at various stages of the disease. A biomarker capable of early diagnosis is required to facilitate the early detection and treatment of colorectal cancer. Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are abnormally expressed in various diseases, including cancer, and have been involved in cancer development. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect the transcript levels of HERV-K(HML-2) gag, pol, and env in colorectal cancer to systematically investigate the connection between HERV-K(HML-2) and colorectal cancer. The results showed that HERV-K(HML-2) transcript expression was significantly higher than healthy controls and was consistent at the population and cell levels. We also used next-generation sequencing to identify and characterize HERV-K(HML-2) loci that were differentially expressed between colorectal cancer patients and healthy individuals. The analysis revealed that these loci were concentrated in immune response signaling pathways, implying that HERV-K impacts the tumor-associated immune response. Our results indicated that HERV-K might serve as a screening tumor marker and a target for tumor immunotherapy in colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Guo
- Key Laboratory for the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiological Laboratory Technology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Tianfu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Caiqin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jingwan Han
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yongjian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaolin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bohan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jingyun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hong-Ling Wen
- Key Laboratory for the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiological Laboratory Technology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Hanping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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Hosseiniporgham S, Sechi LA. Anti-HERV-K Drugs and Vaccines, Possible Therapies against Tumors. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11040751. [PMID: 37112663 PMCID: PMC10144246 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11040751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The footprint of human endogenous retroviruses (HERV), specifically HERV-K, has been found in malignancies, such as melanoma, teratocarcinoma, osteosarcoma, breast cancer, lymphoma, and ovary and prostate cancers. HERV-K is characterized as the most biologically active HERV due to possession of open reading frames (ORF) for all Gag, Pol, and Env genes, which enables it to be more infective and obstructive towards specific cell lines and other exogenous viruses, respectively. Some factors might contribute to carcinogenicity and at least one of them has been recognized in various tumors, including overexpression/methylation of long interspersed nuclear element 1 (LINE-1), HERV-K Gag, and Env genes themselves plus their transcripts and protein products, and HERV-K reverse transcriptase (RT). Therapies effective for HERV-K-associated tumors mostly target invasive autoimmune responses or growth of tumors through suppression of HERV-K Gag or Env protein and RT. To design new therapeutic options, more studies are needed to better understand whether HERV-K and its products (Gag/Env transcripts and HERV-K proteins/RT) are the initiators of tumor formation or just the disorder’s developers. Accordingly, this review aims to present evidence that highlights the association between HERV-K and tumorigenicity and introduces some of the available or potential therapies against HERV-K-induced tumors.
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Stricker E, Peckham-Gregory EC, Scheurer ME. HERVs and Cancer-A Comprehensive Review of the Relationship of Human Endogenous Retroviruses and Human Cancers. Biomedicines 2023; 11:936. [PMID: 36979914 PMCID: PMC10046157 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11030936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Genomic instability and genetic mutations can lead to exhibition of several cancer hallmarks in affected cells such as sustained proliferative signaling, evasion of growth suppression, activated invasion, deregulation of cellular energetics, and avoidance of immune destruction. Similar biological changes have been observed to be a result of pathogenic viruses and, in some cases, have been linked to virus-induced cancers. Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), once external pathogens, now occupy more than 8% of the human genome, representing the merge of genomic and external factors. In this review, we outline all reported effects of HERVs on cancer development and discuss the HERV targets most suitable for cancer treatments as well as ongoing clinical trials for HERV-targeting drugs. We reviewed all currently available reports of the effects of HERVs on human cancers including solid tumors, lymphomas, and leukemias. Our review highlights the central roles of HERV genes, such as gag, env, pol, np9, and rec in immune regulation, checkpoint blockade, cell differentiation, cell fusion, proliferation, metastasis, and cell transformation. In addition, we summarize the involvement of HERV long terminal repeat (LTR) regions in transcriptional regulation, creation of fusion proteins, expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and promotion of genome instability through recombination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Stricker
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77047, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77047, USA
| | | | - Michael E. Scheurer
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77047, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77047, USA
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Fayzullina D, Kharwar RK, Acharya A, Buzdin A, Borisov N, Timashev P, Ulasov I, Kapomba B. FNC: An Advanced Anticancer Therapeutic or Just an Underdog? Front Oncol 2022; 12:820647. [PMID: 35223502 PMCID: PMC8867032 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.820647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Azvudine (FNC) is a novel cytidine analogue that has both antiviral and anticancer activities. This minireview focuses on its underlying molecular mechanisms of suppressing viral life cycle and cancer cell growth and discusses applications of this nucleoside drug for advanced therapy of tumors and malignant blood diseases. FNC inhibits positive-stand RNA viruses, like HCV, EV, SARS-COV-2, HBV, and retroviruses, including HIV, by suppressing their RNA-dependent polymerase enzymes. It may also inhibit such enzyme (reverse transcriptase) in the human retrotransposons, including human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs). As the activation of retrotransposons can be the major factor of ongoing cancer genome instability and consequently higher aggressiveness of tumors, FNC has a potential to increase the efficacy of multiple anticancer therapies. Furthermore, FNC also showed other aspects of anticancer activity by inhibiting adhesion, migration, invasion, and proliferation of malignant cells. It was also reported to be involved in cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, thereby inhibiting the progression of cancer through different pathways. To the date, the grounds of FNC effects on cancer cells are not fully understood and hence additional studies are needed for better understanding molecular mechanisms of its anticancer activities to support its medical use in oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Fayzullina
- World-Class Research Center “Digital Biodesign and Personalized Healthcare”, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Rajesh Kumar Kharwar
- Endocrine Research Lab, Department of Zoology, Kutir Post Graduate College, Chakkey, Jaunpur, India
| | - Arbind Acharya
- Tumor Immunology Lab, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Anton Buzdin
- World-Class Research Center “Digital Biodesign and Personalized Healthcare”, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Nicolas Borisov
- Department of Medical and Biological Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Russia
| | - Peter Timashev
- World-Class Research Center “Digital Biodesign and Personalized Healthcare”, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ilya Ulasov
- World-Class Research Center “Digital Biodesign and Personalized Healthcare”, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Byron Kapomba
- Department of General Surgery, Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, Harare, Zimbabwe,*Correspondence: Byron Kapomba,
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Dolci M, Favero C, Toumi W, Favi E, Tarantini L, Signorini L, Basile G, Bollati V, D'Alessandro S, Bagnoli P, Ferrante P, Delbue S. Human Endogenous Retroviruses Long Terminal Repeat Methylation, Transcription, and Protein Expression in Human Colon Cancer. Front Oncol 2020; 10:569015. [PMID: 33194657 PMCID: PMC7653092 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.569015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Colon cancer is the fourth most common malignancy in both incidence and mortality in developed countries. Infectious agents are among the risk factors for colon cancer. Variations in human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) transcript and protein levels are associated with several types of cancers, but few studies address HERV expression in colon cancer. Fifty-eight patients with advanced-stage colon cancer were enrolled in this study. HERV-H, -K (HML-2), -P LTRs, Alu, and LINE-1 methylation levels and transcription of HERV-H, -K (HML-2), and -P env and HERV-K pol genes in normal adjacent and tumor tissues were investigated by pyrosequencing and RT-qPCR, respectively. Expression of the HERV-K (HML-2) Pol and Env proteins in selected tissues was examined by Western blotting. Associations between HERV transcript expression and methylation levels and between clinical characteristics and HERV expression were evaluated. Compared to adjacent normal tissues, LINE-1 was hypomethylated in tumor tissues (p < 0.05), whereas Alu, HERV-K (HML-2), and -H LTRs showed a decreasing trend in tumor tissue compared to normal tissue, though without a significant difference. The transcription levels of HERV env and pol genes were similar. However, the HERV-K (HML-2) Pol protein was more highly expressed (p < 0.01) in surrounding normal tissues, but the HERV-K (HML-2) Env protein was only expressed in tumor tissues. Although HERV LTR methylation and gene expression did not show significant differences between tumor and normal tissues, HERV protein expression differed greatly. Pol protein expression in normal cells may induce reverse transcription and subsequent integration into the host genome, likely favoring cell transformation; in contrast, the Env protein in tumor tissue may contribute to cancer progression through cell-to-cell fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Dolci
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Favero
- EPIGET-Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Wafa Toumi
- Laboratory Services, Viral and Molecular Tumor Diagnostics Unit, Habib Thameur Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Evaldo Favi
- Renal Transplantation, Fondazione Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Health Care Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.,Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Letizia Tarantini
- EPIGET-Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Lucia Signorini
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Basile
- Orthopedic Department, San Siro Clinical Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Bollati
- EPIGET-Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Sarah D'Alessandro
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Pietro Bagnoli
- Surgical Department, Istituto Clinico Città Studi, Milan, Italy
| | - Pasquale Ferrante
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Serena Delbue
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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Human Endogenous Retrovirus K in Cancer: A Potential Biomarker and Immunotherapeutic Target. Viruses 2020; 12:v12070726. [PMID: 32640516 PMCID: PMC7412025 DOI: 10.3390/v12070726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In diseases where epigenetic mechanisms are changed, such as cancer, many genes show altered gene expression and inhibited genes become activated. Human endogenous retrovirus type K (HERV-K) expression is usually inhibited in normal cells from healthy adults. In tumor cells, however, HERV-K mRNA expression has been frequently documented to increase. Importantly, HERV-K-derived proteins can act as tumor-specific antigens, a class of neoantigens, and induce immune responses in different types of cancer. In this review, we describe the function of the HERV-K HML-2 subtype in carcinogenesis as biomarkers, and their potential as targets for cancer immunotherapy.
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