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Shirasawa M, Nakajima R, Zhou Y, Zhao L, Fikriyanti M, Iwanaga R, Bradford AP, Kurayoshi K, Araki K, Ohtani K. Activation of the CDK7 Gene, Coding for the Catalytic Subunit of the Cyclin-Dependent Kinase (CDK)-Activating Kinase (CAK) and General Transcription Factor II H, by the Trans-Activator Protein Tax of Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type-1. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:1080. [PMID: 39202439 PMCID: PMC11353830 DOI: 10.3390/genes15081080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1) is the etiological agent of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL). The trans-activator protein Tax of HTLV-1 plays crucial roles in leukemogenesis by promoting proliferation of virus-infected cells through activation of growth-promoting genes. However, critical target genes are yet to be elucidated. We show here that Tax activates the gene coding for cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7), the essential component of both CDK-activating kinase (CAK) and general transcription factor TFIIH. CAK and TFIIH play essential roles in cell cycle progression and transcription by activating CDKs and facilitating transcriptional initiation, respectively. Tax induced CDK7 gene expression not only in human T-cell lines but also in normal peripheral blood lymphocytes (PHA-PBLs) along with increased protein expression. Tax stimulated phosphorylation of CDK2 and RNA polymerase II at sites reported to be mediated by CDK7. Tax activated the CDK7 promoter through the NF-κB pathway, which mainly mediates cell growth promotion by Tax. Knockdown of CDK7 expression reduced Tax-mediated induction of target gene expression and cell cycle progression. These results suggest that the CDK7 gene is a crucial target of Tax-mediated trans-activation to promote cell proliferation by activating CDKs and transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mashiro Shirasawa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Kwansei Gakuin University, 1 Gakuen Uegahara, Sanda 669-1330, Hyogo, Japan; (M.S.); (R.N.); (Y.Z.); (M.F.)
| | - Rinka Nakajima
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Kwansei Gakuin University, 1 Gakuen Uegahara, Sanda 669-1330, Hyogo, Japan; (M.S.); (R.N.); (Y.Z.); (M.F.)
| | - Yaxuan Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Kwansei Gakuin University, 1 Gakuen Uegahara, Sanda 669-1330, Hyogo, Japan; (M.S.); (R.N.); (Y.Z.); (M.F.)
| | - Lin Zhao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Kwansei Gakuin University, 1 Gakuen Uegahara, Sanda 669-1330, Hyogo, Japan; (M.S.); (R.N.); (Y.Z.); (M.F.)
| | - Mariana Fikriyanti
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Kwansei Gakuin University, 1 Gakuen Uegahara, Sanda 669-1330, Hyogo, Japan; (M.S.); (R.N.); (Y.Z.); (M.F.)
| | - Ritsuko Iwanaga
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12700 East 19th Avenue, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (R.I.); (A.P.B.)
| | - Andrew P. Bradford
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12700 East 19th Avenue, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (R.I.); (A.P.B.)
| | - Kenta Kurayoshi
- Division of Molecular Genetics, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa 920-1192, Ishikawa, Japan;
| | - Keigo Araki
- Department of Morphological Biology, Ohu University School of Dentistry, 31-1 Misumido Tomitamachi, Koriyama 963-8611, Fukushima, Japan;
| | - Kiyoshi Ohtani
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Kwansei Gakuin University, 1 Gakuen Uegahara, Sanda 669-1330, Hyogo, Japan; (M.S.); (R.N.); (Y.Z.); (M.F.)
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Song X, Qu Z. NF-κB1 deficiency promotes macrophage-derived adrenal tumors but decreases neurofibromas in HTLV-I LTR-Tax transgenic mice. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0303138. [PMID: 38722890 PMCID: PMC11081228 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) is an oncogenic virus whose infection can cause diverse diseases, most notably adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL or ATLL), an aggressive and fatal malignancy of CD4 T cells. The oncogenic ability of HTLV-I is mostly attributed to the viral transcriptional transactivator Tax. Tax alone is sufficient to induce specific tumors in mice depending on the promotor used to drive Tax expression, thereby being used to understand HTLV-I tumorigenesis and model the tumor types developed in Tax transgenic mice. Tax exerts its oncogenic role predominantly by activating the cellular transcription factor NF-κB. Here, we report that genetic deletion of NF-κB1, the prototypic member of the NF-κB family, promotes adrenal medullary tumors but suppresses neurofibromas in mice with transgenic Tax driven by the HTLV-I Long Terminal Repeat (LTR) promoter. The adrenal tumors are derived from macrophages. Neoplastic macrophages also infiltrate the spleen and lymph nodes, causing splenomegaly and lymphadenopathy in mice. Nevertheless, the findings could be human relevant, because macrophages are important target cells of HTLV-I infection and serve as a virus reservoir in vivo. Moreover, the spleen, lymph nodes and adrenal glands are the most common sites of tumor cell infiltration in HTLV-I-infected patients. These data provide new mechanistic insights into the complex interaction between Tax and NF-κB, therefore improving our understanding of HTLV-I oncogenic pathogenesis. They also expand our knowledge and establish a new animal model of macrophage neoplasms and adrenal tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Song
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
| | - Zhaoxia Qu
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Hastings Center for Pulmonary Research, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
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Dutta S, Ganguly A, Ghosh Roy S. An Overview of the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) and Autophagy Pathways in Human Viral Oncogenesis. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 386:81-131. [PMID: 38782502 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2024.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Autophagy and Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) can be regarded as the safe keepers of cells exposed to intense stress. Autophagy maintains cellular homeostasis, ensuring the removal of foreign particles and misfolded macromolecules from the cytoplasm and facilitating the return of the building blocks into the system. On the other hand, UPR serves as a shock response to prolonged stress, especially Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress (ERS), which also includes the accumulation of misfolded proteins in the ER. Since one of the many effects of viral infection on the host cell machinery is the hijacking of the host translational system, which leaves in its wake a plethora of misfolded proteins in the ER, it is perhaps not surprising that UPR and autophagy are common occurrences in infected cells, tissues, and patient samples. In this book chapter, we try to emphasize how UPR, and autophagy are significant in infections caused by six major oncolytic viruses-Epstein-Barr (EBV), Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Human Herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8), Human T-cell Lymphotropic Virus (HTLV-1), and Hepatitis B Virus (HBV). Here, we document how whole-virus infection or overexpression of individual viral proteins in vitro and in vivo models can regulate the different branches of UPR and the various stages of macro autophagy. As is true with other viral infections, the relationship is complicated because the same virus (or the viral protein) exerts different effects on UPR and Autophagy. The nature of this response is determined by the cell types, or in some cases, the presence of diverse extracellular stimuli. The vice versa is equally valid, i.e., UPR and autophagy exhibit both anti-tumor and pro-tumor properties based on the cell type and other factors like concentrations of different metabolites. Thus, we have tried to coherently summarize the existing knowledge, the crux of which can hopefully be harnessed to design vaccines and therapies targeted at viral carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shovan Dutta
- Center for Immunotherapy & Precision Immuno-Oncology (CITI), Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Anirban Ganguly
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Deoghar, Jharkhand, India
| | - Sounak Ghosh Roy
- Henry M Jackson for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Naval Medical Research Command, Silver Spring, MD, United States.
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Nakajima S, Okuma K. Mouse Models for HTLV-1 Infection and Adult T Cell Leukemia. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11737. [PMID: 37511495 PMCID: PMC10380921 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Adult T cell leukemia (ATL) is an aggressive hematologic disease caused by human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection. Various animal models of HTLV-1 infection/ATL have been established to elucidate the pathogenesis of ATL and develop appropriate treatments. For analyses employing murine models, transgenic and immunodeficient mice are used because of the low infectivity of HTLV-1 in mice. Each mouse model has different characteristics that must be considered before use for different HTLV-1 research purposes. HTLV-1 Tax and HBZ transgenic mice spontaneously develop tumors, and the roles of both Tax and HBZ in cell transformation and tumor growth have been established. Severely immunodeficient mice were able to be engrafted with ATL cell lines and have been used in preclinical studies of candidate molecules for the treatment of ATL. HTLV-1-infected humanized mice with an established human immune system are a suitable model to characterize cells in the early stages of HTLV-1 infection. This review outlines the characteristics of mouse models of HTLV-1 infection/ATL and describes progress made in elucidating the pathogenesis of ATL and developing related therapies using these mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinsuke Nakajima
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata 573-1010, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kazu Okuma
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata 573-1010, Osaka, Japan
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Rojo-Romanos T, Karpinski J, Millen S, Beschorner N, Simon F, Paszkowski-Rogacz M, Lansing F, Schneider PM, Sonntag J, Hauber J, Thoma-Kress AK, Buchholz F. Precise excision of HTLV-1 provirus with a designer-recombinase. Mol Ther 2023; 31:2266-2285. [PMID: 36934299 PMCID: PMC10362392 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a pathogenic retrovirus that persists as a provirus in the genome of infected cells and can lead to adult T cell leukemia (ATL). Worldwide, more than 10 million people are infected and approximately 5% of these individuals will develop ATL, a highly aggressive cancer that is currently incurable. In the last years, genome editing tools have emerged as promising antiviral agents. In this proof-of-concept study, we use substrate-linked directed evolution (SLiDE) to engineer Cre-derived site-specific recombinases to excise the HTLV-1 proviral genome from infected cells. We identified a conserved loxP-like sequence (loxHTLV) present in the long terminal repeats of the majority of virus isolates. After 181 cycles of SLiDE, we isolated a designer-recombinase (designated RecHTLV), which efficiently recombines the loxHTLV sequence in bacteria and human cells with high specificity. Expression of RecHTLV in human Jurkat T cells resulted in antiviral activity when challenged with an HTLV-1 infection. Moreover, expression of RecHTLV in chronically infected SP cells led to the excision of HTLV-1 proviral DNA. Our data suggest that recombinase-mediated excision of the HTLV-1 provirus represents a promising approach to reduce proviral load in HTLV-1-infected individuals, potentially preventing the development of HTLV-1-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Rojo-Romanos
- Medical Systems Biology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Janet Karpinski
- Medical Systems Biology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Sebastian Millen
- Institute of Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Niklas Beschorner
- PROVIREX Genome Editing Therapies GmbH, Luruper Hauptstrasse 1, 22547 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Florian Simon
- Institute of Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Maciej Paszkowski-Rogacz
- Medical Systems Biology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Felix Lansing
- Medical Systems Biology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Paul Martin Schneider
- Medical Systems Biology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Jan Sonntag
- Medical Systems Biology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Joachim Hauber
- PROVIREX Genome Editing Therapies GmbH, Luruper Hauptstrasse 1, 22547 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andrea K Thoma-Kress
- Institute of Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Frank Buchholz
- Medical Systems Biology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
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Singh S, Maurya AK. Junction of the redox dynamic, orchestra of signaling, and altered metabolism in regulation of T- cell lymphoma. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1108729. [PMID: 37274286 PMCID: PMC10235457 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1108729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
T-cell lymphoma is a hematologic neoplasm derived from the lymphoid lineage. It belongs to a diverse group of malignant disorders, mostly affecting the young population worldwide, that vary with respect to molecular features as well as genetic and clinical complexities. Cancer cells rewire the cellular metabolism, persuading it to meet new demands of growth and proliferation. Furthermore, the metabolic alterations and heterogeneity are aberrantly driven in cancer by a combination of genetic and non-genetic factors, including the tumor microenvironment. New insight into cancer metabolism highlights the importance of nutrient supply to tumor development and therapeutic responses. Importantly, oxidative stress due to an imbalance in the redox status of reactive species via exogenous and/or endogenous factors is closely related to multiple aspects of cancer. This alters the signaling pathways governed through the multiple intracellular signal transduction and transcription factors, leading to tumor progression. These oncogenic signaling molecules are regulated through different redox sensors, including nuclear factor-erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), phase-II antioxidant enzyme, and NQO1 (NADPH quinone oxidoreductase (1). The existing understanding of the molecular mechanisms of T-cell lymphoma regulation through the cross-talk of redox sensors under the influence of metabolic vulnerability is not well explored. This review highlights the role of the redox dynamics, orchestra of signaling, and genetic regulation involved in T-cell lymphoma progression in addition to the challenges to their etiology, treatment, and clinical response in light of recent updates.
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Regulation of HTLV-1 Transformation. Biosci Rep 2022; 42:230803. [PMID: 35169839 PMCID: PMC8919135 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20211921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the only identified oncogenic human retrovirus. HTLV-1 infects approximately 5–10 million people worldwide and is the infectious cause of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) and several chronic inflammatory diseases, including HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), dermatitis, and uveitis. Unlike other oncogenic retroviruses, HTLV-1 does not capture a cellular proto-oncogene or induce proviral insertional mutagenesis. HTLV-1 is a trans-activating retrovirus and encodes accessory proteins that induce cellular transformation over an extended period of time, upwards of several years to decades. Inarguably the most important viral accessory protein involved in transformation is Tax. Tax is a multifunctional protein that regulates several different pathways and cellular processes. This single viral protein is able to modulate viral gene expression, activate NF-κB signaling pathways, deregulate the cell cycle, disrupt apoptosis, and induce genomic instability. The summation of these processes results in cellular transformation and virus-mediated oncogenesis. Interestingly, HTLV-1 also encodes a protein called Hbz from the antisense strand of the proviral genome that counters many Tax functions in the infected cell, such as Tax-mediated viral transcription and NF-κB activation. However, Hbz also promotes cellular proliferation, inhibits apoptosis, and disrupts genomic integrity. In addition to viral proteins, there are other cellular factors such as MEF-2, superoxide-generating NAPDH oxidase 5-α (Nox5α), and PDLIM2 which have been shown to be critical for HTLV-1-mediated T-cell transformation. This review will highlight the important viral and cellular factors involved in HTLV-1 transformation and the available in vitro and in vivo tools used to study this complex process.
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Nakamura H, Tsukamoto M, Nagasawa Y, Kitamura N, Shimizu T, Kawakami A, Nagata K, Takei M. Does HTLV-1 Infection Show Phenotypes Found in Sjögren's Syndrome? Viruses 2022; 14:100. [PMID: 35062304 PMCID: PMC8780498 DOI: 10.3390/v14010100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Viruses are a possible cause for Sjögren's syndrome (SS) as an environmental factor related to SS onset, which exhibits exocrine gland dysfunction and the emergence of autoantibodies. Although retroviruses may exhibit lymphocytic infiltration into exocrine glands, human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) has been postulated to be a causative agent for SS. Transgenic mice with HTLV-1 genes showed sialadenitis resembling SS, but their phenotypic symptoms differed based on the adopted region of HTLV-1 genes. The dominance of tax gene differed in labial salivary glands (LSGs) of SS patients with HTLV 1-associated myelopathy (HAM) and adult T-cell leukemia. Although HTLV-1 was transmitted to salivary gland epithelial cells (SGECs) by a biofilm-like structure, no viral synapse formation was observed. After infection to SGECs derived from SS patients, adhesion molecules and migration factors were time-dependently released from infected SGECs. The frequency of the appearance of autoantibodies including anti-Ro/SS-A, La/SS-B antibodies in SS patients complicated with HAM is unknown; the observation of less frequent ectopic germinal center formation in HTLV-1-seropositive SS patients was a breakthrough. In addition, HTLV-1 infected cells inhibited B-lymphocyte activating factor or C-X-C motif chemokine 13 through direct contact with established follicular dendritic cell-like cells. These findings show that HTLV-1 is directly involved in the pathogenesis of SS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideki Nakamura
- Division of Hematology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan; (M.T.); (Y.N.); (N.K.); (K.N.); (M.T.)
| | - Masako Tsukamoto
- Division of Hematology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan; (M.T.); (Y.N.); (N.K.); (K.N.); (M.T.)
| | - Yosuke Nagasawa
- Division of Hematology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan; (M.T.); (Y.N.); (N.K.); (K.N.); (M.T.)
| | - Noboru Kitamura
- Division of Hematology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan; (M.T.); (Y.N.); (N.K.); (K.N.); (M.T.)
| | - Toshimasa Shimizu
- Division of Advanced Preventive Medical Sciences, Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8501, Japan; (T.S.); (A.K.)
| | - Atsushi Kawakami
- Division of Advanced Preventive Medical Sciences, Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8501, Japan; (T.S.); (A.K.)
| | - Kinya Nagata
- Division of Hematology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan; (M.T.); (Y.N.); (N.K.); (K.N.); (M.T.)
| | - Masami Takei
- Division of Hematology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan; (M.T.); (Y.N.); (N.K.); (K.N.); (M.T.)
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Adult T-Cell Leukemia: a Comprehensive Overview on Current and Promising Treatment Modalities. Curr Oncol Rep 2021; 23:141. [PMID: 34735653 DOI: 10.1007/s11912-021-01138-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW Adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) is an aggressive chemo-resistant malignancy secondary to HTLV-1 retrovirus. Prognosis of ATL remains dismal. Herein, we emphasized on the current ATL treatment modalities and their drawbacks, and opened up on promising targeted therapies with special focus on the HTLV-1 regulatory proteins Tax and HBZ. RECENT FINDINGS Indolent ATL and a fraction of acute ATL exhibit long-term survival following antiviral treatment with zidovudine and interferon-alpha. Monoclonal antibodies such as mogamulizumab improved response rates, but with little effect on survival. Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation results in long-term survival in one third of transplanted patients, alas only few patients are transplanted. Salvage therapy with lenalidomide in relapsed/refractory patients leads to prolonged survival in some of them. ATL remains an unmet medical need. Targeted therapies focusing on the HTLV-1 viral replication and/or viral regulatory proteins, as well as on the host antiviral immunity, represent a promising approach for the treatment of ATL.
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Lara-Ureña N, García-Domínguez M. Relevance of BET Family Proteins in SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1126. [PMID: 34439792 PMCID: PMC8391731 DOI: 10.3390/biom11081126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent pandemic we are experiencing caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has put the world's population on the rack, with more than 191 million cases and more than 4.1 million deaths confirmed to date. This disease is caused by a new type of coronavirus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). A massive proteomic analysis has revealed that one of the structural proteins of the virus, the E protein, interacts with BRD2 and BRD4 proteins of the Bromodomain and Extra Terminal domain (BET) family of proteins. BETs are essential to cell cycle progression, inflammation and immune response and have also been strongly associated with infection by different types of viruses. The fundamental role BET proteins play in transcription makes them appropriate targets for the propagation strategies of some viruses. Recognition of histone acetylation by BET bromodomains is essential for transcription control. The development of drugs mimicking acetyl groups, and thereby able to displace BET proteins from chromatin, has boosted interest on BETs as attractive targets for therapeutic intervention. The success of these drugs against a variety of diseases in cellular and animal models has been recently enlarged with promising results from SARS-CoV-2 infection studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mario García-Domínguez
- Andalusian Centre for Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine (CABIMER), CSIC-Universidad de Sevilla-Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Av. Américo Vespucio 24, 41092 Seville, Spain;
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Zella D, Gallo RC. Viruses and Bacteria Associated with Cancer: An Overview. Viruses 2021; 13:v13061039. [PMID: 34072757 PMCID: PMC8226504 DOI: 10.3390/v13061039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
There are several human viruses and bacteria currently known to be associated with cancer. A common theme indicates that these microorganisms have evolved mechanisms to hamper the pathways dedicated to maintaining the integrity of genetic information, preventing apoptosis of the damaged cells and causing unwanted cellular proliferation. This eventually reduces the ability of their hosts to repair the damage(s) and eventually results in cellular transformation, cancer progression and reduced response to therapy. Our data suggest that mycoplasmas, and perhaps certain other bacteria with closely related DnaKs, may also contribute to cellular transformation and hamper certain drugs that rely on functional p53 for their anti-cancer activity. Understanding the precise molecular mechanisms is important for cancer prevention and for the development of both new anti-cancer drugs and for improving the efficacy of existing therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Zella
- Institute of Human Virology and Global Virus Network Center, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA;
| | - Robert C. Gallo
- Institute of Human Virology and Global Virus Network Center, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Correspondence:
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12
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Raza MT, Mizan S, Yasmin F, Akash AS, Shahik SM. Epitope-based universal vaccine for Human T-lymphotropic virus-1 (HTLV-1). PLoS One 2021; 16:e0248001. [PMID: 33798232 PMCID: PMC8018625 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) was the first oncogenic human retrovirus identified in humans which infects at least 10-15 million people worldwide. Large HTLV-1 endemic areas exist in Southern Japan, the Caribbean, Central and South America, the Middle East, Melanesia, and equatorial regions of Africa. HTLV-1 TAX viral protein is thought to play a critical role in HTLV-1 associated diseases. We have used numerous bio-informatics and immuno-informatics implements comprising sequence and construction tools for the construction of a 3D model and epitope prediction for HTLV-1 Tax viral protein. The conformational linear B-cell and T-cell epitopes for HTLV-1 TAX viral protein have been predicted for their possible collective use as vaccine candidates. Based on in silico investigation two B cell epitopes, KEADDNDHEPQISPGGLEPPSEKHFR and DGTPMISGPCPKDGQPS spanning from 324-349 and 252-268 respectively; and T cell epitopes, LLFGYPVYV, ITWPLLPHV and GLLPFHSTL ranging from 11-19, 163-171 and 233-241 were found most antigenic and immunogenic epitopes. Among different vaccine constructs generated by different combinations of these epitopes our predicted vaccine construct was found to be most antigenic with a score of 0.57. T cell epitopes interacted strongly with HLA-A*0201 suggesting a significant immune response evoked by these epitopes. Molecular docking study also showed a high binding affinity of the vaccine construct for TLR4. The study was carried out to predict antigenic determinants of the Tax protein along with the 3D protein modeling. The study revealed a potential multi epitope vaccine that can raise the desired immune response against HTLV-1 and be useful in developing effective vaccines against Human T-lymphotropic virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md. Thosif Raza
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Chittagong, Chattogram, Bangladesh
| | - Shagufta Mizan
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Chittagong, Chattogram, Bangladesh
| | - Farhana Yasmin
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Chittagong, Chattogram, Bangladesh
| | - Al-Shahriar Akash
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Chittagong, Chattogram, Bangladesh
| | - Shah Md. Shahik
- Bioinformatics Division, Disease Biology and Molecular Epidemiology Research Group, Chattogram, Bangladesh
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13
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Ducasa N, Grasso D, Benencio P, Papademetrio DL, Biglione M, Kashanchi F, Berini C, Garcia MN. Autophagy in Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 (HTLV-1) Induced Leukemia. Front Oncol 2021; 11:641269. [PMID: 33869030 PMCID: PMC8045967 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.641269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Viruses play an important role in the development of certain human cancers. They are estimated to contribute 16% to all human cancers. Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) was the first human retrovirus to be discovered and is the etiological agent of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL), an aggressive T-cell malignancy with poor prognosis. HTLV-1 viral proteins interact with mechanisms and proteins present in host cells for their own benefit, evading the immune system and promoting the establishment of disease. Several viruses manipulate the autophagy pathway to achieve their infective goals, and HTLV-1 is not the exception. HTLV-1 Tax viral protein engages NF-κB and autophagy pathways prone favoring viral replication and T cell transformation. In this review we focus on describing the relationship of HTLV-1 with the autophagy machinery and its implication in the development of ATLL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás Ducasa
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), CONICET- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Daniel Grasso
- Cátedra de Fisiopatología, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral (IDEHU), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Paula Benencio
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), CONICET- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Daniela L. Papademetrio
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral (IDEHU), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Cátedra de Inmunología, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mirna Biglione
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), CONICET- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Fatah Kashanchi
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, VA, United States
| | - Carolina Berini
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), CONICET- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Maria Noé Garcia
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral (IDEHU), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Cátedra de Inmunología, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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14
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Lanigan LG, Hildreth BE, Dirksen WP, Simmons JK, Martin CK, Werbeck JL, Thudi NK, Papenfuss TL, Boyaka PN, Toribio RE, Ward JM, Weilbaecher KN, Rosol TJ. In Vivo Tumorigenesis, Osteolytic Sarcomas, and Tumorigenic Cell Lines from Transgenic Mice Expressing the Human T-Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 (HTLV-1) Tax Viral Oncogene. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2021; 191:335-352. [PMID: 33181139 PMCID: PMC7863134 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2020.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) causes adult T-cell leukemia, a disease commonly associated with hypercalcemia and osteolysis. There is no effective treatment for HTLV-1, and the osteolytic mechanisms are not fully understood. Mice expressing the HTLV-1 oncogene Tax, driven by the human granzyme B promoter (Tax+), develop osteolytic tumors. To investigate the progression of the bone-invasive malignancies, wild-type, Tax+, and Tax+/interferon-γ-/- mice were assessed using necropsy, histologic examination, IHC analysis, flow cytometry, and advanced imaging. Tax+ and Tax+/interferon-γ-/- malignancies of the ear, tail, and foot comprised poorly differentiated, round to spindle-shaped cells with prominent neutrophilic infiltrates. Tail tumors originated from muscle, nerve, and/or tendon sheaths, with frequent invasion into adjacent bone. F4/80+ and anti-mouse CD11b (Mac-1)+ histiocytic cells predominated within the tumors. Three Tax+/interferon-γ-/- cell lines were generated for in vivo allografts, in vitro gene expression and bone resorption assays. Two cell lines were of monocyte/macrophage origin, and tumors formed in vivo in all three. Differences in Pthrp, Il6, Il1a, Il1b, and Csf3 expression in vitro were correlated with differences in in vivo plasma calcium levels, tumor growth, metastasis, and neutrophilic inflammation. Tax+ mouse tumors were classified as bone-invasive histiocytic sarcomas. The cell lines are ideal for further examination of the role of HTLV-1 Tax in osteolytic tumor formation and the development of hypercalcemia and tumor-associated inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa G Lanigan
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; Tox Path Specialists, a StageBio Company, Fredrick, Maryland
| | - Blake E Hildreth
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Wessel P Dirksen
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Jessica K Simmons
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Chelsea K Martin
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Prince Edward Island, Atlantic Veterinary College, Prince Edward Island, Canada
| | - Jillian L Werbeck
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Nandu K Thudi
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Tracey L Papenfuss
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Prosper N Boyaka
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Ramiro E Toribio
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | | | - Katherine N Weilbaecher
- Division of Molecular Oncology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Thomas J Rosol
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio.
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15
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Akkouche A, Moodad S, Hleihel R, Skayneh H, Chambeyron S, El Hajj H, Bazarbachi A. In vivo antagonistic role of the Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 regulatory proteins Tax and HBZ. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009219. [PMID: 33471856 PMCID: PMC7817025 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult T cell leukemia (ATL) is an aggressive malignancy secondary to chronic infection by the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection. Two viral proteins, Tax and HBZ, play central roles in ATL leukemogenesis. Tax expression transforms T cells in vitro and induces ATL-like disease in mice. Tax also induces a rough eye phenotype and increases hemocyte count in Drosophila melanogaster, indicative of transformation. Among multiple functions, Tax modulates the expression of the enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), a methyltransferase of the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2), leading to H3K27me3-dependent reprogramming of around half of cellular genes. HBZ is a negative regulator of Tax-mediated viral transcription. HBZ effects on epigenetic signatures are underexplored. Here, we established an hbz transgenic fly model, and demonstrated that, unlike Tax, which induces NF-κB activation and enhanced PRC2 activity creating an activation loop, HBZ neither induces transformation nor NF-κB activation in vivo. However, overexpression of Tax or HBZ increases the PRC2 activity and both proteins directly interact with PRC2 complex core components. Importantly, overexpression of HBZ in tax transgenic flies prevents Tax-induced NF-κB or PRC2 activation and totally rescues Tax-induced transformation and senescence. Our results establish the in vivo antagonistic effect of HBZ on Tax-induced transformation and cellular effects. This study helps understanding long-term HTLV-1 persistence and cellular transformation and opens perspectives for new therapeutic strategies targeting the epigenetic machinery in ATL. Adult T cell leukemia-lymphoma is an aggressive hematological malignancy, caused by the retroviral infection with HTLV-1. Tax and HBZ play critical roles in leukemia development. Tax activates the NF-κB pathway and modulates the epigenetic machinery to induce cellular proliferation and malignant transformation. We generated hbz or tax/hbz transgenic fly models and explored the phenotypes and epigenetic changes in vivo. Unlike Tax, HBZ expression failed to activate NF-κB or to induce transformation or senescence in vivo, yet activated PRC2 core components resulting in subsequent epigenetic changes. HBZ expression in tax Tg flies inhibits Tax-induced NF-κB or PRC2 activation, resulting in inhibition of malignant cellular proliferation and its consequent senescence. Our study proves the antagonistic effect of HBZ on Tax-induced transformation in vivo, providing further understanding on ATL pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdou Akkouche
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Sara Moodad
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Rita Hleihel
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Hala Skayneh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Séverine Chambeyron
- Institute of Human Genetics, CNRS, UMR 9002, Montpellier University, Montpellier, France
| | - Hiba El Hajj
- Department of Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
- * E-mail: (HEH); (AB)
| | - Ali Bazarbachi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
- * E-mail: (HEH); (AB)
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16
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Benedetti F, Curreli S, Gallo RC, Zella D. Tampering of Viruses and Bacteria with Host DNA Repair: Implications for Cellular Transformation. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:E241. [PMID: 33440726 PMCID: PMC7826954 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13020241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
A reduced ability to properly repair DNA is linked to a variety of human diseases, which in almost all cases is associated with an increased probability of the development of cellular transformation and cancer. DNA damage, that ultimately can lead to mutations and genomic instability, is due to many factors, such as oxidative stress, metabolic disorders, viral and microbial pathogens, excess cellular proliferation and chemical factors. In this review, we examine the evidence connecting DNA damage and the mechanisms that viruses and bacteria have evolved to hamper the pathways dedicated to maintaining the integrity of genetic information, thus affecting the ability of their hosts to repair the damage(s). Uncovering new links between these important aspects of cancer biology might lead to the development of new targeted therapies in DNA-repair deficient cancers and improving the efficacy of existing therapies. Here we provide a comprehensive summary detailing the major mechanisms that viruses and bacteria associated with cancer employ to interfere with mechanisms of DNA repair. Comparing these mechanisms could ultimately help provide a common framework to better understand how certain microorganisms are involved in cellular transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Benedetti
- Institute of Human Virology and Global Virus Network Center, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA;
| | - Sabrina Curreli
- Institute of Human Virology and Global Virus Network Center, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (S.C.); (R.C.G.)
| | - Robert C. Gallo
- Institute of Human Virology and Global Virus Network Center, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (S.C.); (R.C.G.)
| | - Davide Zella
- Institute of Human Virology and Global Virus Network Center, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA;
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17
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Abstract
Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) was discovered in 1980 as the first, and to date, the only retrovirus that causes human cancer. While HTLV-1 infection is generally asymptomatic, 3-5% of infected individuals develop a T cell neoplasm known as adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) decades after infection. Since its discovery, HTLV-1 has served as a model for understanding retroviral oncogenesis, transcriptional regulation, cellular signal transduction, and cell-associated viral infection and spread. Much of the initial research was focused on the viral trans-activator/oncoprotein, Tax. Over the past decade, the study of HTLV-1 has entered the genomic era. With the development of new systems for studying HTLV-1 infection and pathogenesis, the completion of the whole genome, exome and transcriptome sequencing analyses of ATL, and the discovery of HBZ as another HTLV-1 oncogene, many established concepts about how HTLV-1 infects, persists and causes disease have undergone substantial revision. This chapter seeks to integrate our current understanding of the mechanisms of action of Tax and HBZ with the comprehensive genomic information of ATL to provide an overview of how HTLV-1 infects, replicates and causes leukemia.
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18
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Mohanty S, Harhaj EW. Mechanisms of Oncogenesis by HTLV-1 Tax. Pathogens 2020; 9:E543. [PMID: 32645846 PMCID: PMC7399876 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9070543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the etiological agent of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL), a neoplasm of CD4+CD25+ T cells that occurs in 2-5% of infected individuals after decades of asymptomatic latent infection. Multiple HTLV-1-encoded regulatory proteins, including Tax and HTLV-1 basic leucine zipper factor (HBZ), play key roles in viral persistence and latency. The HTLV-1 Tax oncoprotein interacts with a plethora of host cellular proteins to regulate viral gene expression and also promote the aberrant activation of signaling pathways such as NF-κB to drive clonal proliferation and survival of T cells bearing the HTLV-1 provirus. Tax undergoes various post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation and ubiquitination that regulate its function and subcellular localization. Tax shuttles in different subcellular compartments for the activation of anti-apoptotic genes and deregulates the cell cycle with the induction of DNA damage for the accumulation of genomic instability that can result in cellular immortalization and malignant transformation. However, Tax is highly immunogenic and therefore HTLV-1 has evolved numerous strategies to tightly regulate Tax expression while maintaining the pool of anti-apoptotic genes through HBZ. In this review, we summarize the key findings on the oncogenic mechanisms used by Tax that set the stage for the development of ATLL, and the strategies used by HTLV-1 to tightly regulate Tax expression for immune evasion and viral persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Edward W. Harhaj
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA;
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19
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Forlani G, Shallak M, Ramia E, Tedeschi A, Accolla RS. Restriction factors in human retrovirus infections and the unprecedented case of CIITA as link of intrinsic and adaptive immunity against HTLV-1. Retrovirology 2019; 16:34. [PMID: 31783769 PMCID: PMC6884849 DOI: 10.1186/s12977-019-0498-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Immunity against pathogens evolved through complex mechanisms that only for sake of simplicity are defined as innate immunity and adaptive immunity. Indeed innate and adaptive immunity are strongly intertwined each other during evolution. The complexity is further increased by intrinsic mechanisms of immunity that rely on the action of intracellular molecules defined as restriction factors (RFs) that, particularly in virus infections, counteract the action of pathogen gene products acting at different steps of virus life cycle. Main body and conclusion Here we provide an overview on the nature and the mode of action of restriction factors involved in retrovirus infection, particularly Human T Leukemia/Lymphoma Virus 1 (HTLV-1) infection. As it has been extensively studied by our group, special emphasis is given to the involvement of the MHC class II transactivator CIITA discovered in our laboratory as regulator of adaptive immunity and subsequently as restriction factor against HIV-1 and HTLV-1, a unique example of dual function linking adaptive and intrinsic immunity during evolution. We describe the multiple molecular mechanisms through which CIITA exerts its restriction on retroviruses. Of relevance, we review the unprecedented findings pointing to a concerted action of several restriction factors such as CIITA, TRIM22 and TRIM19/PML in synergizing against retroviral replication. Finally, as CIITA profoundly affects HTLV-1 replication by interacting and inhibiting the function of HTLV-1 Tax-1 molecule, the major viral product associated to the virus oncogenicity, we also put forward the hypothesis of CIITA as counteractor of HTLV-1-mediated cancer initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta Forlani
- Laboratories of General Pathology and Immunology "Giovanna Tosi", Department of Medicine and Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Insubria, Via Ottorino Rossi 9, 21100, Varese, Italy
| | - Mariam Shallak
- Laboratories of General Pathology and Immunology "Giovanna Tosi", Department of Medicine and Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Insubria, Via Ottorino Rossi 9, 21100, Varese, Italy
| | - Elise Ramia
- Laboratories of General Pathology and Immunology "Giovanna Tosi", Department of Medicine and Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Insubria, Via Ottorino Rossi 9, 21100, Varese, Italy
| | - Alessandra Tedeschi
- Laboratories of General Pathology and Immunology "Giovanna Tosi", Department of Medicine and Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Insubria, Via Ottorino Rossi 9, 21100, Varese, Italy
| | - Roberto S Accolla
- Laboratories of General Pathology and Immunology "Giovanna Tosi", Department of Medicine and Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Insubria, Via Ottorino Rossi 9, 21100, Varese, Italy.
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20
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Bangham CRM, Miura M, Kulkarni A, Matsuoka M. Regulation of Latency in the Human T Cell Leukemia Virus, HTLV-1. Annu Rev Virol 2019; 6:365-385. [PMID: 31283437 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-virology-092818-015501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The human T cell leukemia virus persists in vivo in 103 to 106 clones of T lymphocytes that appear to survive for the lifetime of the host. The plus strand of the provirus is typically transcriptionally silent in freshly isolated lymphocytes, but the strong, persistently activated cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response to the viral antigens indicates that the virus is not constantly latent in vivo. There is now evidence that the plus strand is transcribed in intense intermittent bursts that are triggered by cellular stress, modulated by hypoxia and glycolysis, and inhibited by polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1). The minus-strand gene hbz is transcribed at a lower, more constant level but is silent in a proportion of infected cells at a given time. Viral genes in the sense and antisense strands of the provirus play different respective roles in latency and de novo infection: Expression of the plus-strand gene tax is essential for de novo infection, whereas hbz appears to facilitate survival of the infected T cell clone in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles R M Bangham
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, United Kingdom;
| | - Michi Miura
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, United Kingdom;
| | - Anurag Kulkarni
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, United Kingdom;
| | - Masao Matsuoka
- Laboratory of Virus Control, Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.,Department of Hematology, Rheumatology and Infectious Diseases, Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan;
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21
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Abstract
It has been nearly 40 years since human T-cell leukemia virus-1 (HTLV-1), the first oncogenic retrovirus in humans and the first demonstrable cause of cancer by an infectious agent, was discovered. Studies indicate that HTLV-1 is arguably one of the most carcinogenic agents to humans. In addition, HTLV-1 causes a diverse array of diseases, including myelopathy and immunodeficiency, which cause morbidity and mortality to many people in the world, including the indigenous population in Australia, a fact that was emphasized only recently. HTLV-1 can be transmitted by infected lymphocytes, from mother to child via breast feeding, by sex, by blood transfusion, and by organ transplant. Therefore, the prevention of HTLV-1 infection is possible but such action has been taken in only a limited part of the world. However, until now it has not been listed by the World Health Organization as a sexually transmitted organism nor, oddly, recognized as an oncogenic virus by the recent list of the National Cancer Institute/National Institutes of Health. Such underestimation of HTLV-1 by health agencies has led to a remarkable lack of funding supporting research and development of treatments and vaccines, causing HTLV-1 to remain a global threat. Nonetheless, there are emerging novel therapeutic and prevention strategies which will help people who have diseases caused by HTLV-1. In this review, we present a brief historic overview of the key events in HTLV-1 research, including its pivotal role in generating ideas of a retrovirus cause of AIDS and in several essential technologies applicable to the discovery of HIV and the unraveling of its genes and their function. This is followed by the status of HTLV-1 research and the preventive and therapeutic developments of today. We also discuss pending issues and remaining challenges to enable the eradication of HTLV-1 in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutaka Tagaya
- Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Masao Matsuoka
- Department of Hematology, Rheumatology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan
| | - Robert Gallo
- Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
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22
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Vicario M, Mattiolo A, Montini B, Piano MA, Cavallari I, Amadori A, Chieco-Bianchi L, Calabrò ML. A Preclinical Model for the ATLL Lymphoma Subtype With Insights Into the Role of Microenvironment in HTLV-1-Mediated Lymphomagenesis. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1215. [PMID: 29951044 PMCID: PMC6008390 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult T cell Leukemia/Lymphoma (ATLL) is a mature T cell malignancy associated with Human T cell Leukemia Virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection. Among its four main clinical subtypes, the prognosis of acute and lymphoma variants remains poor. The long latency (3–6 decades) and low incidence (3–5%) of ATLL imply the involvement of viral and host factors in full-blown malignancy. Despite multiple preclinical and clinical studies, the contribution of the stromal microenvironment in ATLL development is not yet completely unraveled. The aims of this study were to investigate the role of the host microenvironment, and specifically fibroblasts, in ATLL pathogenesis and to propose a murine model for the lymphoma subtype. Here we present evidence that the oncogenic capacity of HTLV-1-immortalized C91/PL cells is enhanced when they are xenotransplanted together with human foreskin fibroblasts (HFF) in immunocompromised BALB/c Rag2-/-γc-/- mice. Moreover, cell lines derived from a developed lymphoma and their subsequent in vivo passages acquired the stable property to induce aggressive T cell lymphomas. In particular, one of these cell lines, C91/III cells, consistently induced aggressive lymphomas also in NOD/SCID/IL2Rγc KO (NSG) mice. To dissect the mechanisms linked to this enhanced tumorigenic ability, we quantified 45 soluble factors released by these cell lines and found that 21 of them, mainly pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, were significantly increased in C91/III cells compared to the parental C91/PL cells. Moreover, many of the increased factors were also released by human fibroblasts and belonged to the known secretory pattern of ATLL cells. C91/PL cells co-cultured with HFF showed features reminiscent of those observed in C91/III cells, including a similar secretory pattern and a more aggressive behavior in vivo. On the whole, our data provide evidence that fibroblasts, one of the major stromal components, might enhance tumorigenesis of HTLV-1-infected and immortalized T cells, thus throwing light on the role of microenvironment contribution in ATLL pathogenesis. We also propose that the lymphoma induced in NSG mice by injection with C91/III cells represents a new murine preclinical ATLL model that could be adopted to test novel therapeutic interventions for the aggressive lymphoma subtype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Vicario
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology, Veneto Institute of Oncology, IOV - IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | - Adriana Mattiolo
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology, Veneto Institute of Oncology, IOV - IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | - Barbara Montini
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology, Veneto Institute of Oncology, IOV - IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | - Maria Assunta Piano
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology, Veneto Institute of Oncology, IOV - IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | - Ilaria Cavallari
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology, Veneto Institute of Oncology, IOV - IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | - Alberto Amadori
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology, Veneto Institute of Oncology, IOV - IRCCS, Padua, Italy.,Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Luigi Chieco-Bianchi
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Maria Luisa Calabrò
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology, Veneto Institute of Oncology, IOV - IRCCS, Padua, Italy
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Moodad S, Akkouche A, Hleihel R, Darwiche N, El-Sabban M, Bazarbachi A, El Hajj H. Mouse Models That Enhanced Our Understanding of Adult T Cell Leukemia. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:558. [PMID: 29643841 PMCID: PMC5882783 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult T cell Leukemia (ATL) is an aggressive lymphoproliferative malignancy secondary to infection by the human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) and is associated with a dismal prognosis. ATL leukemogenesis remains enigmatic. In the era of precision medicine in oncology, mouse models offer one of the most efficient in vivo tools for the understanding of the disease biology and developing novel targeted therapies. This review provides an up-to-date and comprehensive account of mouse models developed in the context of ATL and HTLV-I infection. Murine ATL models include transgenic animals for the viral proteins Tax and HBZ, knock-outs for key cellular regulators, xenografts and humanized immune-deficient mice. The first two groups provide a key understanding of the role of viral and host genes in the development of ATL, as well as their relationship with the immunopathogenic processes. The third group represents a valuable platform to test new targeted therapies against ATL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Moodad
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.,Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Abdou Akkouche
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Rita Hleihel
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Nadine Darwiche
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Marwan El-Sabban
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Ali Bazarbachi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.,Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Hiba El Hajj
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.,Department of Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
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Langford D, Oh Kim B, Zou W, Fan Y, Rahimain P, Liu Y, He JJ. Doxycycline-inducible and astrocyte-specific HIV-1 Tat transgenic mice (iTat) as an HIV/neuroAIDS model. J Neurovirol 2017; 24:168-179. [PMID: 29143286 DOI: 10.1007/s13365-017-0598-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Revised: 10/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
HIV-1 Tat is known to be neurotoxic and important for HIV/neuroAIDS pathogenesis. However, the overwhelming majority of the studies involved use of recombinant Tat protein. To understand the contributions of Tat protein to HIV/neuroAIDS and the underlying molecular mechanisms of HIV-1 Tat neurotoxicity in the context of a whole organism and independently of HIV-1 infection, a doxycycline-inducible astrocyte-specific HIV-1 Tat transgenic mouse (iTat) was created. Tat expression in the brains of iTat mice was determined to be in the range of 1-5 ng/ml and led to astrocytosis, loss of neuronal dendrites, and neuroinflammation. iTat mice have allowed us to define the direct effects of Tat on astrocytes and the molecular mechanisms of Tat-induced GFAP expression/astrocytosis, astrocyte-mediated Tat neurotoxicity, Tat-impaired neurogenesis, Tat-induced loss of neuronal integrity, and exosome-associated Tat release and uptake. In this review, we will provide an overview about the creation and characterization of this model and its utilities for our understanding of Tat neurotoxicity and the underlying molecular mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dianne Langford
- Department of Neuroscience, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA
| | - Byung Oh Kim
- School of Food Science & Biotechnology and College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 702-701, South Korea
| | - Wei Zou
- The 1st Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330006, China
| | - Yan Fan
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX, 76107, USA
| | - Pejman Rahimain
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX, 76107, USA
| | - Ying Liu
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX, 76107, USA
| | - Johnny J He
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX, 76107, USA.
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25
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RNA stability regulates human T cell leukemia virus type 1 gene expression in chronically-infected CD4 T cells. Virology 2017; 508:7-17. [PMID: 28478312 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2017.04.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2017] [Revised: 04/25/2017] [Accepted: 04/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Regulation of expression of HTLV-1 gene products from integrated proviruses plays an important role in HTLV-1-associated disease pathogenesis. Previous studies have shown that T cell receptor (TCR)- and phorbol ester (PMA) stimulation of chronically infected CD4 T cells increases the expression of integrated HTLV-1 proviruses in latently infected cells, however the mechanism remains unknown. Analysis of HTLV-1 RNA and protein species following PMA treatment of the latently HTLV-1-infected, FS and SP T cell lines demonstrated rapid induction of tax/rex mRNA. This rapid increase in tax/rex mRNA was associated with markedly enhanced tax/rex mRNA stability while the stability of unspliced or singly spliced HTLV-1 RNAs did not increase. Tax/rex mRNA in the HTLV-1 constitutively expressing cell lines exhibited high basal stability even without PMA treatment. Our data support a model whereby T cell activation leads to increased HTLV-1 gene expression at least in part through increased tax/rex mRNA stability.
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Abstract
Infection with human T cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) causes adult T cell leukemia (ATL) in a minority of infected individuals after long periods of viral persistence. The various stages of HTLV-I infection and leukemia development are studied by using several different animal models: (1) the rabbit (and mouse) model of persistent HTLV-I infection, (2) transgenic mice to model tumorigenesis by HTLV-I specific protein expression, (3) ATL cell transfers into immune-deficient mice, and (4) infection of humanized mice with HTLV-I. After infection, virus replicates without clinical disease in rabbits and to a lesser extent in mice. Transgenic expression of both the transactivator protein (Tax) and the HTLV-I bZIP factor (HBZ) protein have provided insight into factors important in leukemia/lymphoma development. To investigate factors relating to tumor spread and tissue invasion, a number of immune-deficient mice based on the severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) or non-obese diabetic/SCID background have been used. Inoculation of adult T cell leukemia cell (lines) leads to lymphoma with osteolytic bone lesions and to a lesser degree to leukemia development. These mice have been used extensively for the testing of anticancer drugs and virotherapy. A recent development is the use of so-called humanized mice, which, upon transfer of CD34(+)human umbilical cord stem cells, generate human lymphocytes. Infection with HTLV-I leads to leukemia/lymphoma development, thus providing an opportunity to investigate disease development with the aid of molecularly cloned viruses. However, further improvements of this mouse model, particularly in respect to the development of adaptive immune responses, are necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Niewiesk
- Stefan Niewiesk, DVM, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Veterinary Biosciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine at the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio
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27
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Palker TJ. Human T-cell Lymphotropic Viruses: Review and Prospects for Antiviral Therapy. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1177/095632029200300301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The human T-cell lymphotropic viruses types I and II (HTLV-I, II) pose challenges to researchers and clinicians who seek to unveil mechanisms of viral transformation and pathogenesis. HTLV-I infection in humans is associated with a wide array of primary and secondary diseases ranging from mild immunosuppression to adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma and HTLV-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), a neurological degenerative syndrome. As retroviruses, HTLV-I and II share similar replicative cycles with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the causative agent of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. However, in contrast to HIV-I which destroys CD4+ T cells, HTLV-I and II can preferentially transform a CD4+ T-cell subset to an unrestricted growth state. HTLV-I and II, along with simian T-lymphotropic virus (STLV) and bovine leukaemia virus (BLV), form a phylogenetic group which is distinct from ungulate, non-human primate and human lentiviruses such as visna, simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), and human immunodeficiency viruses types 1 and 2. The proviral genome of HTLV-I is flanked at the 5′ and 3′ ends by long terminal repeats (LTR) and is further subdivided into structural gag and env genes, a pro gene encoding an aspartyl protease, a pol gene which encodes reverse transcriptase and endonuclease, and the regulatory gene elements tax and rex. Regions within the LTR contain recognition sites for cellular proteins and the tax gene product that collectively promote viral expression. Tax-mediated activation of cellular genes involved in growth and differentiation is suspected to play a dominant role in the leukaemogenic process associated with HTLV-I infection. Differential rex-regulated splicing of viral message gives rise to transcripts encoding the polyprotein precursor gag-pro-pol (unspliced), envelope (single spliced), or tax/rex (doubly spliced). The 100nm HTLV virion contains an electron-dense core surrounding a divalent-single stranded DNA genome. This core is in turn enclosed by concentric shells of matrix protein and an outer lipid bilayer, the latter acquired as the virus buds from the surface of the infected cell. Envelope glycoproteins associated with the outside of this lipid bilayer can interact with viral receptors on cells and mediate virus entry. Antiviral strategies have been directed at inhibiting viral entry into cells (sulphated and non-sulphated polysaccharides, vaccines), blocking of viral replication (AZT, suramin), intracellular immunization (transdominant repression of rex), and elimination of virus infected cells (IL-2 receptor-directed toxins). Serological screening of the blood supply and curtailing breast feeding of children by HTLV-I + mothers have likely had a major impact in preventing HTLV-I infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. J. Palker
- Duke University Medical Center, P.O. Box 3307, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
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28
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Giam CZ, Semmes OJ. HTLV-1 Infection and Adult T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma-A Tale of Two Proteins: Tax and HBZ. Viruses 2016; 8:v8060161. [PMID: 27322308 PMCID: PMC4926181 DOI: 10.3390/v8060161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2016] [Revised: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 06/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
HTLV-1 (Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1) is a complex human delta retrovirus that currently infects 10–20 million people worldwide. While HTLV-1 infection is generally asymptomatic, 3%–5% of infected individuals develop a highly malignant and intractable T-cell neoplasm known as adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) decades after infection. How HTLV-1 infection progresses to ATL is not well understood. Two viral regulatory proteins, Tax and HTLV-1 basic zipper protein (HBZ), encoded by the sense and antisense viral transcripts, respectively, are thought to play indispensable roles in the oncogenic process of ATL. This review focuses on the roles of Tax and HBZ in viral replication, persistence, and oncogenesis. Special emphasis is directed towards recent literature on the mechanisms of action of these two proteins and the roles of Tax and HBZ in influencing the outcomes of HTLV-1 infection including senescence induction, viral latency and persistence, genome instability, cell proliferation, and ATL development. Attempts are made to integrate results from cell-based studies of HTLV-1 infection and studies of HTLV-1 proviral integration site preference, clonality, and clonal expansion based on high throughput DNA sequencing. Recent data showing that Tax hijacks key mediators of DNA double-strand break repair signaling—the ubiquitin E3 ligase, ring finger protein 8 (RNF8) and the ubiquitin E2 conjugating enzyme (UBC13)—to activate the canonical nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B-cells (NF-κB) and other signaling pathways will be discussed. A perspective on how the Tax-RNF8 signaling axis might impact genomic instability and how Tax may collaborate with HBZ to drive oncogenesis is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chou-Zen Giam
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Rd., Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
| | - Oliver John Semmes
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Cell Biology, The Leroy T. Canoles Jr Cancer Research Center, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA 23501, USA.
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29
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Pérès E, Bagdassarian E, This S, Villaudy J, Rigal D, Gazzolo L, Duc Dodon M. From Immunodeficiency to Humanization: The Contribution of Mouse Models to Explore HTLV-1 Leukemogenesis. Viruses 2015; 7:6371-86. [PMID: 26690200 PMCID: PMC4690867 DOI: 10.3390/v7122944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2015] [Revised: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 11/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The first discovered human retrovirus, Human T-Lymphotropic Virus type 1 (HTLV-1), is responsible for an aggressive form of T cell leukemia/lymphoma. Mouse models recapitulating the leukemogenesis process have been helpful for understanding the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of this retroviral-induced disease. This review will focus on the recent advances in the generation of immunodeficient and human hemato-lymphoid system mice with a particular emphasis on the development of mouse models for HTLV-1-mediated pathogenesis, their present limitations and the challenges yet to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eléonore Pérès
- Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire de la Cellule, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5239, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 69364 Lyon Cedex 7, France.
- SFR UMS3444 BioSciences Lyon-Gerland-Lyon Sud (UMS3444), 69366 Lyon Cedex 7, France.
| | - Eugénie Bagdassarian
- Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire de la Cellule, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5239, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 69364 Lyon Cedex 7, France.
- SFR UMS3444 BioSciences Lyon-Gerland-Lyon Sud (UMS3444), 69366 Lyon Cedex 7, France.
- Master BioSciences, Département de Biologie, ENS Lyon, 69366 Lyon Cedex 7, France.
| | - Sébastien This
- Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire de la Cellule, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5239, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 69364 Lyon Cedex 7, France.
- SFR UMS3444 BioSciences Lyon-Gerland-Lyon Sud (UMS3444), 69366 Lyon Cedex 7, France.
- Master BioSciences, Département de Biologie, ENS Lyon, 69366 Lyon Cedex 7, France.
| | - Julien Villaudy
- AIMM Therapeutics, Meibergdreef 59, 1105 BA Amsterdam Zuidoost, The Netherlands.
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 BA Amsterdam Zuidoost, The Netherlands.
| | | | - Louis Gazzolo
- Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire de la Cellule, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5239, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 69364 Lyon Cedex 7, France.
- SFR UMS3444 BioSciences Lyon-Gerland-Lyon Sud (UMS3444), 69366 Lyon Cedex 7, France.
| | - Madeleine Duc Dodon
- Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire de la Cellule, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5239, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 69364 Lyon Cedex 7, France.
- SFR UMS3444 BioSciences Lyon-Gerland-Lyon Sud (UMS3444), 69366 Lyon Cedex 7, France.
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30
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Abstract
Several viruses with different replication mechanisms contribute to oncogenesis by both direct and indirect mechanisms in immunosuppressed subjects after solid organ transplantation, after allogeneic stem cell transplantation, or with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), human papillomavirus (HPV), Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV), human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and Merkel cell polyoma virus (MCV) are the main viruses associated with the development of cancer in immunosuppressed patients. Besides being a main cause of immunodeficiency, HIV1 has a direct pro-oncogenic effect. In this review, we provide an update on the association between the condition of acquired immunodeficiency and cancer risk, specifically addressing the contributions to oncogenesis of HPV, MCV, KSHV, HTLV-1, and EBV.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Pierangeli
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - G Antonelli
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - G Gentile
- Department of Cellular Biotechnologies and Haematology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
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31
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Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) tax requires CADM1/TSLC1 for inactivation of the NF-κB inhibitor A20 and constitutive NF-κB signaling. PLoS Pathog 2015; 11:e1004721. [PMID: 25774694 PMCID: PMC4361615 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2014] [Accepted: 01/31/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Persistent activation of NF-κB by the Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) oncoprotein, Tax, is vital for the development and pathogenesis of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). K63-linked polyubiquitinated Tax activates the IKK complex in the plasma membrane-associated lipid raft microdomain. Tax also interacts with TAX1BP1 to inactivate the NF-κB negative regulatory ubiquitin-editing A20 enzyme complex. However, the molecular mechanisms of Tax-mediated IKK activation and A20 protein complex inactivation are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrated that membrane associated CADM1 (Cell adhesion molecule1) recruits Ubc13 to Tax, causing K63-linked polyubiquitination of Tax, and IKK complex activation in the membrane lipid raft. The c-terminal cytoplasmic tail containing PDZ binding motif of CADM1 is critical for Tax to maintain persistent NF-κB activation. Finally, Tax failed to inactivate the NF-κB negative regulator ubiquitin-editing enzyme A20 complex, and activate the IKK complex in the lipid raft in absence of CADM1. Our results thus indicate that CADM1 functions as a critical scaffold molecule for Tax and Ubc13 to form a cellular complex with NEMO, TAX1BP1 and NRP, to activate the IKK complex in the plasma membrane-associated lipid rafts, to inactivate NF-κB negative regulators, and maintain persistent NF-κB activation in HTLV-1 infected cells. HTLV-1 infection leads to the development of Adult T-cell Leukemia (ATL) or HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/ tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). One of the major causes responsible for the development of HTLV-1 associated diseases is chronic inflammation directed by NF-kappaB (NF-κB). NF-κB activation in response to a wide variety of signals is transient and tightly controlled by ubiquitin-editing enzyme A20. One of the mechanisms of persistent NF-κB activation in HTLV-1 infected cells is inactivation of NF-κB negative regulators; however, the precise mechanism is unknown. Here, we focused on host tumor suppressor Cell adhesion molecule 1 (CADM1) that is robustly upregulated in HTLV-1 infected cells. The expression of CADM1 is frequently silenced in several cancers; however, it is critical for HTLV-1 associated ATL tumor cell survival. We characterized the role of CADM1 in persistent NF-κB activation in HTLV-1 infected cells. We found that CADM1 is required for the HTLV-1 oncoprotein, Tax, to form a cellular complex with Ubc13, TAX1BP1, NRP and NEMO in the membrane lipid rafts micorodomain. We further demonstrated that Tax requires CADM1 to inactivate NF-κB negative regulator and maintain persistent NF-κB activation. Our study reveals a novel mechanism of chronic NF-κB activation by CADM1 in HTLV-1 infected cells.
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32
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Viruses and human cancers: a long road of discovery of molecular paradigms. Clin Microbiol Rev 2015; 27:463-81. [PMID: 24982317 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00124-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
About a fifth of all human cancers worldwide are caused by infectious agents. In 12% of cancers, seven different viruses have been causally linked to human oncogenesis: Epstein-Barr virus, hepatitis B virus, human papillomavirus, human T-cell lymphotropic virus, hepatitis C virus, Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus, and Merkel cell polyomavirus. Here, we review the many molecular mechanisms of oncogenesis that have been discovered over the decades of study of these viruses. We discuss how viruses can act at different stages in the complex multistep process of carcinogenesis. Early events include their involvement in mutagenic events associated with tumor initiation such as viral integration and insertional mutagenesis as well as viral promotion of DNA damage. Also involved in tumor progression is the dysregulation of cellular processes by viral proteins, and we describe how this has been investigated by studies in cell culture and in experimental animals and by molecular cellular approaches. Also important are the molecular mechanisms whereby viruses interact with the immune system and the immune evasion strategies that have evolved.
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33
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Chang Y, Lan YY, Hsiao JR, Chang NS. Strategies of oncogenic microbes to deal with WW domain-containing oxidoreductase. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2014; 240:329-37. [PMID: 25488911 DOI: 10.1177/1535370214561957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) is a well-documented tumor suppressor protein that controls growth, survival, and metastasis of malignant cells. To counteract WWOX's suppressive effects, cancer cells have developed many strategies either to downregulate WWOX expression or to functionally inactivate WWOX. Relatively unknown is, in the context of those cancers associated with certain viruses or bacteria, how the oncogenic pathogens deal with WWOX. Here we review recent studies showing different strategies utilized by three cancer-associated pathogens. Helicobactor pylori reduces WWOX expression through promoter hypermethylation, an epigenetic mechanism also occurring in many other cancer cells. WWOX has a potential to block canonical NF-κB activation and tumorigenesis induced by Tax, an oncoprotein of human T-cell leukemia virus. Tax successfully overcomes the blockage by inhibiting WWOX expression through activation of the non-canonical NF-κB pathway. On the other hand, latent membrane protein 2A of Epstein-Barr virus physically interacts with WWOX and redirects its function to trigger a signaling pathway that upregulates matrix metalloproteinase 9 and cancer cell invasion. These reports may be just "the tip of the iceberg" regarding multiple interactions between WWOX and oncogenic microbes. Further studies in this direction should expand our understanding of infection-driven oncogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Chang
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Tainan 70456, Taiwan Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Science, Medical College, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Yan Lan
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Tainan 70456, Taiwan Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Science, Medical College, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
| | - Jenn-Ren Hsiao
- Department of Otolaryngology, Medical College and Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
| | - Nan-Shan Chang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Medical College, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
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34
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Regulation of HTLV-1 tax stability, cellular trafficking and NF-κB activation by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Viruses 2014; 6:3925-43. [PMID: 25341660 PMCID: PMC4213571 DOI: 10.3390/v6103925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2014] [Revised: 10/15/2014] [Accepted: 10/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a complex retrovirus that infects CD4+ T cells and causes adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) in 3%–5% of infected individuals after a long latent period. HTLV-1 Tax is a trans-activating protein that regulates viral gene expression and also modulates cellular signaling pathways to enhance T-cell proliferation and cell survival. The Tax oncoprotein promotes T-cell transformation, in part via constitutive activation of the NF-κB transcription factor; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Ubiquitination is a type of post-translational modification that occurs in a three-step enzymatic cascade mediated by E1, E2 and E3 enzymes and regulates protein stability as well as signal transduction, protein trafficking and the DNA damage response. Emerging studies indicate that Tax hijacks the ubiquitin machinery to activate ubiquitin-dependent kinases and downstream NF-κB signaling. Tax interacts with the E2 conjugating enzyme Ubc13 and is conjugated on C-terminal lysine residues with lysine 63-linked polyubiquitin chains. Tax K63-linked polyubiquitination may serve as a platform for signaling complexes since this modification is critical for interactions with NEMO and IKK. In addition to NF-κB signaling, mono- and polyubiquitination of Tax also regulate its subcellular trafficking and stability. Here, we review recent advances in the diverse roles of ubiquitin in Tax function and how Tax usurps the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway to promote oncogenesis.
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35
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Schmitz ML, Kracht M, Saul VV. The intricate interplay between RNA viruses and NF-κB. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2014; 1843:2754-2764. [PMID: 25116307 PMCID: PMC7114235 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2014.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2014] [Revised: 08/01/2014] [Accepted: 08/02/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
RNA viruses have rapidly evolving genomes which often allow cross-species transmission and frequently generate new virus variants with altered pathogenic properties. Therefore infections by RNA viruses are a major threat to human health. The infected host cell detects trace amounts of viral RNA and the last years have revealed common principles in the biochemical mechanisms leading to signal amplification that is required for mounting of a powerful antiviral response. Components of the RNA sensing and signaling machinery such as RIG-I-like proteins, MAVS and the inflammasome inducibly form large oligomers or even fibers that exhibit hallmarks of prions. Following a nucleation event triggered by detection of viral RNA, these energetically favorable and irreversible polymerization events trigger signaling cascades leading to the induction of antiviral and inflammatory responses, mediated by interferon and NF-κB pathways. Viruses have evolved sophisticated strategies to manipulate these host cell signaling pathways in order to ensure their replication. We will discuss at the examples of influenza and HTLV-1 viruses how a fascinating diversity of biochemical mechanisms is employed by viral proteins to control the NF-κB pathway at all levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Lienhard Schmitz
- Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Friedrichstrasse 24, Justus-Liebig-University, 35392 Giessen, Germany.
| | - Michael Kracht
- Rudolf-Buchheim-Institute of Pharmacology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Vera V Saul
- Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Friedrichstrasse 24, Justus-Liebig-University, 35392 Giessen, Germany
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Zhao T, Satou Y, Matsuoka M. Development of T cell lymphoma in HTLV-1 bZIP factor and Tax double transgenic mice. Arch Virol 2014; 159:1849-56. [PMID: 24818712 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-014-2099-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2014] [Accepted: 04/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) is an aggressive T-cell malignancy caused by human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1). ATL cells possess a CD4+ CD25+ phenotype, similar to that of regulatory T cells (Tregs). Tax has been reported to play a crucial role in the leukemogenesis of HTLV-1. The HTLV-1 bZIP factor (HBZ), which is encoded by the minus strand of the viral genomic RNA, is expressed in all ATL cases and induces neoplastic and inflammatory disease in vivo. To test whether HBZ and Tax are both required for T cell malignancy, we generated HBZ/Tax double transgenic mice in which HBZ and Tax are expressed exclusively in CD4+ T cells. Survival was much reduced in HBZ/Tax double-transgenic mice compared with wild type littermates. Transgenic expression of HBZ and Tax induced skin lesions and T-cell lymphoma in mice, resembling diseases observed in HTLV-1 infected individuals. However, Tax single transgenic mice did not develop major health problems. In addition, memory CD4+ T cells and Foxp3+ Treg cells counts were increased in HBZ/Tax double transgenic mice, and their proliferation was enhanced. There was very little difference between HBZ single and HBZ/Tax double transgenic mice. Taken together, these results show that HBZ, in addition to Tax, plays a critical role in T-cell lymphoma arising from HTLV-1 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiejun Zhao
- College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, 688 Yingbin Road, Jinhua, 321004, Zhejiang, China,
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Zane L, Jeang KT. HTLV-1 and leukemogenesis: virus-cell interactions in the development of adult T-cell leukemia. Recent Results Cancer Res 2014; 193:191-210. [PMID: 24008300 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-38965-8_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) was originally discovered in the early 1980s. It is the first retrovirus to be unambiguously linked causally to a human cancer. HTLV-1 currently infects approximately 20 million people worldwide. In this chapter, we review progress made over the last 30 years in our understanding of HTLV-1 infection, replication, gene expression, and cellular transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Zane
- Molecular Virology Section, Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, The National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, The National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892-0460, USA
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Narita T, Ishida T, Masaki A, Suzuki S, Ito A, Mori F, Yamada T, Ri M, Kusumoto S, Komatsu H, Miyazaki Y, Takatsuka Y, Utsunomiya A, Niimi A, Iida S, Ueda R. HTLV-1 bZIP Factor–Specific CD4 T Cell Responses in Adult T Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma Patients after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2013; 192:940-7. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1301952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Abstract
Since the isolation and discovery of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) over 30 years ago, researchers have utilized animal models to study HTLV-1 transmission, viral persistence, virus-elicited immune responses, and HTLV-1-associated disease development (ATL, HAM/TSP). Non-human primates, rabbits, rats, and mice have all been used to help understand HTLV-1 biology and disease progression. Non-human primates offer a model system that is phylogenetically similar to humans for examining viral persistence. Viral transmission, persistence, and immune responses have been widely studied using New Zealand White rabbits. The advent of molecular clones of HTLV-1 has offered the opportunity to assess the importance of various viral genes in rabbits, non-human primates, and mice. Additionally, over-expression of viral genes using transgenic mice has helped uncover the importance of Tax and Hbz in the induction of lymphoma and other lymphocyte-mediated diseases. HTLV-1 inoculation of certain strains of rats results in histopathological features and clinical symptoms similar to that of humans with HAM/TSP. Transplantation of certain types of ATL cell lines in immunocompromised mice results in lymphoma. Recently, “humanized” mice have been used to model ATL development for the first time. Not all HTLV-1 animal models develop disease and those that do vary in consistency depending on the type of monkey, strain of rat, or even type of ATL cell line used. However, the progress made using animal models cannot be understated as it has led to insights into the mechanisms regulating viral replication, viral persistence, disease development, and, most importantly, model systems to test disease treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda R Panfil
- Center for Retrovirus Research, OH, USA. ; Department of Veterinary Biosciences, OH, USA
| | - Jacob J Al-Saleem
- Center for Retrovirus Research, OH, USA. ; Department of Veterinary Biosciences, OH, USA
| | - Patrick L Green
- Center for Retrovirus Research, OH, USA. ; Department of Veterinary Biosciences, OH, USA. ; Comprenhensive Cancer Center and Solove Research Institute, OH, USA. ; Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology, and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University Columbus, OH, USA
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Ohsugi T. A transgenic mouse model of human T cell leukemia virus type 1-associated diseases. Front Microbiol 2013; 4:49. [PMID: 23483782 PMCID: PMC3592262 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2013.00049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2013] [Accepted: 02/21/2013] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the etiological agent of adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) and several inflammatory diseases. Tax, the protein encoded by HTLV-1, may be responsible for the development of the diseases caused by this virus. To investigate the pathogenic role of Tax, several transgenic mouse strains expressing Tax have been developed in recent years. These mice develop various tumors including large granular lymphocytic leukemia, as well as inflammatory diseases such as arthritis. These results suggest that Tax expression alone is sufficient to cause both malignant neoplastic diseases and inflammatory diseases. However, until recently, there were no tax transgenic mice that develop T cell leukemia and lymphoma resembling ATLL. The first successful induction of leukemia in T cells was pre-T cell leukemia generated in transgenic mice in which a mouse lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase p56lck (lck)-proximal promoter was used to express the tax gene in immature T cells. Subsequently, transgenic mice were established in which the lck-distal promoter was used to express Tax in mature T cells; these mice developed mature T cell leukemia and lymphoma that more closely resembled ATLL than did earlier mouse models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeo Ohsugi
- Division of Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Resource Development and Analysis, Kumamoto University Kumamoto, Japan
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Dayaram T, Lemoine FJ, Donehower LA, Marriott SJ. Activation of WIP1 phosphatase by HTLV-1 Tax mitigates the cellular response to DNA damage. PLoS One 2013; 8:e55989. [PMID: 23405243 PMCID: PMC3566092 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2012] [Accepted: 01/08/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Genomic instability stemming from dysregulation of cell cycle checkpoints and DNA damage response (DDR) is a common feature of many cancers. The cancer adult T cell leukemia (ATL) can occur in individuals infected with human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), and ATL cells contain extensive chromosomal abnormalities, suggesting that they have defects in the recognition or repair of DNA damage. Since Tax is the transforming protein encoded by HTLV-1, we asked whether Tax can affect cell cycle checkpoints and the DDR. Using a combination of flow cytometry and DNA repair assays we showed that Tax-expressing cells exit G1 phase and initiate DNA replication prematurely following damage. Reduced phosphorylation of H2AX (γH2AX) and RPA2, phosphoproteins that are essential to properly initiate the DDR, was also observed in Tax-expressing cells. To determine the cause of decreased DDR protein phosphorylation in Tax-expressing cells, we examined the cellular phosphatase, WIP1, which is known to dephosphorylate γH2AX. We found that Tax can interact with Wip1 in vivo and in vitro, and that Tax-expressing cells display elevated levels of Wip1 mRNA. In vitro phosphatase assays showed that Tax can enhance Wip1 activity on a γH2AX peptide target by 2-fold. Thus, loss of γH2AX in vivo could be due, in part, to increased expression and activity of WIP1 in the presence of Tax. siRNA knockdown of WIP1 in Tax-expressing cells rescued γH2AX in response to damage, confirming the role of WIP1 in the DDR. These studies demonstrate that Tax can disengage the G1/S checkpoint by enhancing WIP1 activity, resulting in reduced DDR. Premature G1 exit of Tax-expressing cells in the presence of DNA lesions creates an environment that tolerates incorporation of random mutations into the host genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tajhal Dayaram
- Interdepartmental Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Francene J. Lemoine
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northwestern State University of Louisiana, Natchitoches, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Lawrence A. Donehower
- Interdepartmental Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Susan J. Marriott
- Interdepartmental Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Makokha GN, Takahashi M, Higuchi M, Saito S, Tanaka Y, Fujii M. Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 Tax protein interacts with and mislocalizes the PDZ domain protein MAGI-1. Cancer Sci 2013; 104:313-20. [PMID: 23279616 DOI: 10.1111/cas.12087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2012] [Revised: 11/18/2012] [Accepted: 12/14/2012] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the etiological agent of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL). HTLV-1 encodes the oncoprotein Tax1, which is essential for immortalization of human T-cells and persistent HTLV-1 infection in vivo. Tax1 has a PDZ binding motif (PBM) at its C-terminus. This motif is crucial for the transforming activity of Tax1 to a T-cell line and persistent HTLV-1 infection. Tax1 through the PBM interacts with PDZ domain proteins such as Dlg1 and Scribble, but it has not been determined yet, which cellular PDZ proteins mediate the functions of Tax1 PBM. Here we demonstrate that Tax1 interacts with the PDZ domain protein MAGI-1 in a PBM-dependent manner, and the interaction mislocalizes MAGI-1 from the detergent-soluble to the detergent-insoluble cellular fraction in 293T cells and in HTLV-1-infected T-cells. In addition, Tax1-transformation of a T-cell line from interleukin (IL)-2-dependent to IL-2-independent growth selects cells with irreversibly reduced expression of MAGI-1 at mRNA level. These findings imply that Tax1, like other viral oncoproteins, targets MAGI-1 as a mechanism to suppress its anti-tumor functions in HTLV-1-infected cells to contribute to the transforming activity of T-cells and persistent HTLV-1 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Naswa Makokha
- Division of Virology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
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Yasunaga JI, Matsuoka M. [HTLV-1: Recent topics in epidemiologic, basic and clinical research]. Uirusu 2013; 63:165-174. [PMID: 25366051 DOI: 10.2222/jsv.63.165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) belongs to Delta Retorviridae, and induces a malignancy of CD4+CD25+ T-cells, adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), and several chronic inflammatory diseases, such as HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) and HTLV-1 uveitis. A nationwide survey of HTLV-1-infected subjects, which was recently conducted by Japanese government, revealed that the numbers of HTLV-1 carriers and patients with HTLV-1-associated diseases have not decreased much over the last two decades in Japan. In contrast, novel findings on HTLV-1 dynamics in vivo and molecular mechanisms of its pathogenesis are accumulating by detailed analysis of newly identified viral and cellular factors, novel technologies such as next-generation sequencing, and appropriate animal models for HTLV-1 research. In this review, we summarize the recent progress of HTLV-1 research.
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Zane L, Yasunaga J, Mitagami Y, Yedavalli V, Tang SW, Chen CY, Ratner L, Lu X, Jeang KT. Wip1 and p53 contribute to HTLV-1 Tax-induced tumorigenesis. Retrovirology 2012; 9:114. [PMID: 23256545 PMCID: PMC3532233 DOI: 10.1186/1742-4690-9-114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2012] [Accepted: 12/15/2012] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Human T-cell Leukemia Virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infects 20 million individuals world-wide and causes Adult T-cell Leukemia/Lymphoma (ATLL), a highly aggressive T-cell cancer. ATLL is refractory to treatment with conventional chemotherapy and fewer than 10% of afflicted individuals survive more than 5 years after diagnosis. HTLV-1 encodes a viral oncoprotein, Tax, that functions in transforming virus-infected T-cells into leukemic cells. All ATLL cases are believed to have reduced p53 activity although only a minority of ATLLs have genetic mutations in their p53 gene. It has been suggested that p53 function is inactivated by the Tax protein. Results Using genetically altered mice, we report here that Tax expression does not achieve a functional equivalence of p53 inactivation as that seen with genetic mutation of p53 (i.e. a p53−/− genotype). Thus, we find statistically significant differences in tumorigenesis between Tax+p53+/+versus Tax+p53−/− mice. We also find a role contributed by the cellular Wip1 phosphatase protein in tumor formation in Tax transgenic mice. Notably, Tax+Wip1−/− mice show statistically significant reduced prevalence of tumorigenesis compared to Tax+Wip1+/+ counterparts. Conclusions Our findings provide new insights into contributions by p53 and Wip1 in the in vivo oncogenesis of Tax-induced tumors in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Zane
- Molecular Virology Section, Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-0460, USA
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Hajj HE, Nasr R, Kfoury Y, Dassouki Z, Nasser R, Kchour G, Hermine O, de Thé H, Bazarbachi A. Animal models on HTLV-1 and related viruses: what did we learn? Front Microbiol 2012; 3:333. [PMID: 23049525 PMCID: PMC3448133 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2012.00333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2012] [Accepted: 08/28/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Retroviruses are associated with a wide variety of diseases, including immunological, neurological disorders, and different forms of cancer. Among retroviruses, Oncovirinae regroup according to their genetic structure and sequence, several related viruses such as human T-cell lymphotropic viruses types 1 and 2 (HTLV-1 and HTLV-2), simian T cell lymphotropic viruses types 1 and 2 (STLV-1 and STLV-2), and bovine leukemia virus (BLV). As in many diseases, animal models provide a useful tool for the studies of pathogenesis, treatment, and prevention. In the current review, an overview on different animal models used in the study of these viruses will be provided. A specific attention will be given to the HTLV-1 virus which is the causative agent of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) but also of a number of inflammatory diseases regrouping the HTLV-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), infective dermatitis and some lung inflammatory diseases. Among these models, rabbits, monkeys but also rats provide an excellent in vivo tool for early HTLV-1 viral infection and transmission as well as the induced host immune response against the virus. But ideally, mice remain the most efficient method of studying human afflictions. Genetically altered mice including both transgenic and knockout mice, offer important models to test the role of specific viral and host genes in the development of HTLV-1-associated leukemia. The development of different strains of immunodeficient mice strains (SCID, NOD, and NOG SCID mice) provide a useful and rapid tool of humanized and xenografted mice models, to test new drugs and targeted therapy against HTLV-1-associated leukemia, to identify leukemia stem cells candidates but also to study the innate immunity mediated by the virus. All together, these animal models have revolutionized the biology of retroviruses, their manipulation of host genes and more importantly the potential ways to either prevent their infection or to treat their associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiba El Hajj
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut Beirut, Lebanon
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Cheng H, Ren T, Sun SC. New insight into the oncogenic mechanism of the retroviral oncoprotein Tax. Protein Cell 2012; 3:581-9. [PMID: 22865346 DOI: 10.1007/s13238-012-2047-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2012] [Accepted: 06/07/2012] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), an etiological factor that causes adult T cell leukemia and lymphoma (ATL), infects over 20 million people worldwide. About 1 million of HTLV-1-infected patients develop ATL, a highly aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma without an effective therapy. The pX region of the HTLV-1 viral genome encodes an oncogenic protein, Tax, which plays a central role in transforming CD4+ T lymphocytes by deregulating oncogenic signaling pathways and promoting cell cycle progression. Expression of Tax following viral entry is critical for promoting survival and proliferation of human T cells and is required for initiation of oncogenesis. Tax exhibits diverse functions in host cells, and this oncoprotein primarily targets IκB kinase complex in the cytoplasm, resulting in persistent activation of NF-κB and upregulation of its responsive gene expressions that are crucial for T cell survival and cell cycle progression. We here review recent advances for the pathological roles of Tax in modulating IκB kinase activity. We also discuss our recent observation that Tax connects the IκB kinase complex to autophagy pathways. Understanding Tax-mediated pathogenesis will provide insights into development of new therapeutics in controlling HTLV-1-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Cheng
- Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute, Hershey, PA 17033, USA.
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Macaire H, Riquet A, Moncollin V, Biémont-Trescol MC, Duc Dodon M, Hermine O, Debaud AL, Mahieux R, Mesnard JM, Pierre M, Gazzolo L, Bonnefoy N, Valentin H. Tax protein-induced expression of antiapoptotic Bfl-1 protein contributes to survival of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-infected T-cells. J Biol Chem 2012; 287:21357-70. [PMID: 22553204 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.340992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the etiologic agent of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL). ATLL is a severe malignancy with no effective treatment. HTLV-1 regulatory proteins Tax and HTLV-1 basic leucine zipper factor (HBZ) play a major role in ATLL development, by interfering with cellular functions such as CD4(+) T-cell survival. In this study, we observed that the expression of Bfl-1, an antiapoptotic protein of the Bcl-2 family, is restricted to HTLV-1-infected T-cell lines and to T-cells expressing both Tax and HBZ proteins. We showed that Tax-induced bfl-1 transcription through the canonical NF-κB pathway. Moreover, we demonstrated that Tax cooperated with c-Jun or JunD, but not JunB, transcription factors of the AP-1 family to stimulate bfl-1 gene activation. By contrast, HBZ inhibited c-Jun-induced bfl-1 gene activation, whereas it increased JunD-induced bfl-1 gene activation. We identified one NF-κB, targeted by RelA, c-Rel, RelB, p105/p50, and p100/p52, and two AP-1, targeted by both c-Jun and JunD, binding sites in the bfl-1 promoter of T-cells expressing both Tax and HBZ. Analyzing the potential role of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 proteins in HTLV-1-infected T-cell survival, we demonstrated that these cells are differentially sensitive to silencing of Bfl-1, Bcl-x(L), and Bcl-2. Indeed, both Bfl-1 and Bcl-x(L) knockdowns decreased the survival of HTLV-1-infected T-cell lines, although no cell death was observed after Bcl-2 knockdown. Furthermore, we demonstrated that Bfl-1 knockdown sensitizes HTLV-1-infected T-cells to ABT-737 or etoposide treatment. Our results directly implicate Bfl-1 and Bcl-x(L) in HTLV-1-infected T-cell survival and suggest that both Bfl-1 and Bcl-x(L) represent potential therapeutic targets for ATLL treatment.
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Abstract
Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the etiological agent of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL), whereas the highly related HTLV-2 is not associated with ATL or other cancers. In addition to ATL leukemogenesis, studies of the HTLV viruses also provide an exceptional model for understanding basic pathogenic mechanisms of virus-host interactions and human oncogenesis. Accumulating evidence suggests that the viral regulatory protein Tax and host inflammatory transcription factor NF-κB are largely responsible for the different pathogenic potentials of HTLV-1 and HTLV-2. Here, we discuss the molecular mechanisms of HTLV-1 oncogenic pathogenesis with a focus on the interplay between the Tax oncoprotein and NF-κB pro-oncogenic signaling. We also outline some of the most intriguing and outstanding questions in the fields of HTLV and NF-κB. Answers to those questions will greatly advance our understanding of ATL leukemogenesis and other NF-κB-associated tumorigenesis and will help us design personalized cancer therapies.
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Swaims A, Lin HC, Simon P, Granier C, Zhang Y, Roberts A, Devadas S, Shi Y, Rabson AB. Activation of HTLV-1 expression in chronically-infected CD4+ T cells: mechanisms and implications for pathogenesis. Retrovirology 2011. [PMCID: PMC3112774 DOI: 10.1186/1742-4690-8-s1-a6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
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Yasunaga J, Matsuoka M. Molecular mechanisms of HTLV-1 infection and pathogenesis. Int J Hematol 2011; 94:435-42. [PMID: 21953273 DOI: 10.1007/s12185-011-0937-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2011] [Revised: 08/20/2011] [Accepted: 09/07/2011] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is an etiological pathogen of several human diseases, including adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), HTLV-1-associated myelopathy (HAM)/tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP), and inflammatory disorders such as uveitis and dermatitis. HTLV-1 spreads mainly through cell-to-cell transmission, induces clonal proliferation of infected T cells in vivo, and after a long latent period, a subset of HTLV-1 carriers develop ATL. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of infection and oncogenesis is important for the development of new strategies of prophylaxis and molecular-targeted therapies, since ATL has a poor prognosis, despite intensive chemotherapy. In this review, we will summarize recent progress in HTLV-1 research, and especially novel findings on viral transmission and leukemogenic mechanisms by two viral oncogenes, HBZ and tax.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junichiro Yasunaga
- Laboratory of Virus Control, Institute for Virus Research, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
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