BK polyomavirus infection promotes growth and aggressiveness in bladder cancer

Background

Recent studies have confirmed the integration of the BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) gene into the cellular genome of urothelial carcinomas in transplant recipients, further confirming the correlation between BKPyV and urothelial carcinomas after transplantation. However, the role BKPyV infections play in the biological function of bladder cancer remains unclear.

Methods

We developed a BKPyV-infected bladder cancer cell model and a mice tumor model to discuss the role of BKPyV infections.

Results

Our research proves that BKPyV infections promote the proliferation, invasion and migration of bladder cancer cells, while the activation of β-catenin signaling pathway is one of its mediation mechanisms.

Conclusions

We first described BKPyV infection promotes the proliferation, invasion and migration of bladder cancer. We verified the role of β-catenin signaling pathway and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition effect in BKPyV-infected bladder cancer. These results provide meaningful information towards the diagnosis and treatment of clinical bladder cancer.

Splicing of SV40T gene exons and construction of a retroviral vector pLLTSN

AIM: To construct an immortalization vector for hepatocytes immortalization, and two exons of simian virus 40 large T antigen gene (SV40T) were spliced and a retroviral vector pLLTSN without intron was constructed.

METHODS: The two exons of SV40T were amplified respectively by high fidelity polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by using the plasmid pUC19-SV40T as the template. Then SV40T gene was spliced by overlapping extension (SOE), and cloned into theEcoRⅠand BamHⅠsites of the retroviral vector pLXSN. The positive recombinant clones were screened and identified by PCR by using colonies directly as templates, and by restriction endonuclease digestion analysis, and DNA sequence analysis.

RESULTS: The 2.1 kb SV40T gene was spliced. Among the ten colonies randomly screened, four were proved positive, and one of them was verified by plasmid DNA sequencing.

CONCLUSION: The retroviral vector pLLTSN containing SV40T without intron is successfully constructed.