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Krenzlin H, Zdioruk M, Nowicki MO, Finkelberg T, Keric N, Lemmermann N, Skubal M, Chiocca EA, Cook CH, Lawler SE. Cytomegalovirus infection of glioblastoma cells leads to NF-κB dependent upregulation of the c-MET oncogenic tyrosine kinase. Cancer Lett 2021; 513:26-35. [PMID: 33989707 PMCID: PMC8209659 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2021.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is widespread in humans and has been implicated in glioblastoma (GBM) and other tumors. However, the role of CMV in GBM remains poorly understood and the mechanisms involved are not well-defined. The goal of this study was to identify candidate pathways relevant to GBM that may be modulated by CMV. Analysis of RNAseq data after CMV infection of patient-derived GBM cells showed significant upregulation of GBM-associated transcripts including the MET oncogene, which is known to play a role in a subset of GBM patients. These findings were validated in vitro in both mouse and human GBM cells. Using immunostaining and RT-PCR in vivo, we confirmed c-MET upregulation in a mouse model of CMV-driven GBM progression and in human GBM. siRNA knockdown showed that MET upregulation was dependent on CMV-induced upregulation of NF-κB signaling. Finally, proneural GBM xenografts overexpressing c-MET grew much faster in vivo than controls, suggesting a mechanism by which CMV infection of tumor cells could induce a more aggressive mesenchymal phenotype. These studies implicate the CMV-induced upregulation of c-MET as a potential mechanism involved in the effects of CMV on GBM growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harald Krenzlin
- Harvey Cushing Neurooncology Laboratories, Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Mainz, Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Mykola Zdioruk
- Harvey Cushing Neurooncology Laboratories, Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michal O Nowicki
- Harvey Cushing Neurooncology Laboratories, Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tomer Finkelberg
- Harvey Cushing Neurooncology Laboratories, Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Naureen Keric
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Mainz, Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Niels Lemmermann
- Institute of Virology, University Hospital Mainz, Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Magdalena Skubal
- Harvey Cushing Neurooncology Laboratories, Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - E Antonio Chiocca
- Harvey Cushing Neurooncology Laboratories, Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Charles H Cook
- Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Sean E Lawler
- Harvey Cushing Neurooncology Laboratories, Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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