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Liang B, Yan T, Wei H, Zhang D, Li L, Liu Z, Li W, Zhang Y, Jiang N, Meng Q, Jiang G, Hu Y, Leng J. HERVK-mediated regulation of neighboring genes: implications for breast cancer prognosis. Retrovirology 2024; 21:4. [PMID: 38388382 PMCID: PMC10885364 DOI: 10.1186/s12977-024-00636-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are the remnants of ancient retroviral infections integrated into the human genome. Although most HERVs are silenced or rendered inactive by various regulatory mechanisms, they retain the potential to influence the nearby genes. We analyzed the regulatory map of 91 HERV-Ks on neighboring genes in human breast cancer and investigated the impact of HERV-Ks on the tumor microenvironment (TME) and prognosis of breast cancer. Nine RNA-seq datasets were obtained from GEO and NCBI SRA. Differentially expressed genes and HERV-Ks were analyzed using DESeq2. Validation of high-risk prognostic candidate genes using TCGA data. These included Overall survival (multivariate Cox regression model), immune infiltration analysis (TIMER), tumor mutation burden (maftools), and drug sensitivity analysis (GSCA). A total of 88 candidate genes related to breast cancer prognosis were screened, of which CD48, SLAMF7, SLAMF1, IGLL1, IGHA1, and LRRC8A were key genes. Functionally, these six key genes were significantly enriched in some immune function-related pathways, which may be associated with poor prognosis for breast cancer (p = 0.00016), and the expression levels of these genes were significantly correlated with the sensitivity of breast cancer treatment-related drugs. Mechanistically, they may influence breast cancer development by modulating the infiltration of various immune cells into the TME. We further experimentally validated these genes to confirm the results obtained from bioinformatics analysis. This study represents the first report on the regulatory potential of HERV-K in the neighboring breast cancer genome. We identified three key HERV-Ks and five neighboring genes that hold promise as novel targets for future interventions and treatments for breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boying Liang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Treating High-Incidence Infectious Diseases with Integrative Medicine, Nanning, China
| | - Tengyue Yan
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of Regenerative Medicine and Medical Bioresource Development and Application Co-Constructed by the Province and Ministry, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Huilin Wei
- School of Institute of Life Sciences, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Die Zhang
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of Regenerative Medicine and Medical Bioresource Development and Application Co-Constructed by the Province and Ministry, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Lanxiang Li
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Zengjing Liu
- Genomic Experimental Center, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Wen Li
- Genomic Experimental Center, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Yuluan Zhang
- Genomic Experimental Center, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Nili Jiang
- School of Institute of Life Sciences, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Qiuxia Meng
- Genomic Experimental Center, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Guiyang Jiang
- Genomic Experimental Center, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Yanling Hu
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China.
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of Regenerative Medicine and Medical Bioresource Development and Application Co-Constructed by the Province and Ministry, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
- School of Institute of Life Sciences, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
- Genomic Experimental Center, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
| | - Jing Leng
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China.
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Treating High-Incidence Infectious Diseases with Integrative Medicine, Nanning, China.
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Costa B, Vale N. Exploring HERV-K (HML-2) Influence in Cancer and Prospects for Therapeutic Interventions. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14631. [PMID: 37834078 PMCID: PMC10572383 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914631] [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: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
This review investigates the intricate role of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) in cancer development and progression, explicitly focusing on HERV-K (HML-2). This paper sheds light on the latest research advancements and potential treatment strategies by examining the historical context of HERVs and their involvement in critical biological processes such as embryonic development, immune response, and disease progression. This review covers computational modeling for drug-target binding assessment, systems biology modeling for simulating HERV-K viral cargo dynamics, and using antiviral drugs to combat HERV-induced diseases. The findings presented in this review contribute to our understanding of HERV-mediated disease mechanisms and provide insights into future therapeutic approaches. They emphasize why HERV-K holds significant promise as a biomarker and a target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bárbara Costa
- OncoPharma Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, s/n, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal;
- CINTESIS@RISE, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
- Department of Community Medicine, Information and Health Decision Sciences (MEDCIDS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, s/n, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno Vale
- OncoPharma Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, s/n, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal;
- CINTESIS@RISE, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
- Department of Community Medicine, Information and Health Decision Sciences (MEDCIDS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, s/n, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
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Yang C, Guo X, Li J, Han J, Jia L, Wen HL, Sun C, Wang X, Zhang B, Li J, Chi Y, An T, Wang Y, Wang Z, Li H, Li L. Significant Upregulation of HERV-K (HML-2) Transcription Levels in Human Lung Cancer and Cancer Cells. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:850444. [PMID: 35359739 PMCID: PMC8960717 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.850444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide and the leading cause of cancer death in the world. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new and effective biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment. Under this circumstance, human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) were recently introduced as novel biomarkers for cancer diagnosis. This study focused on the correlation between lung cancer and HERV-K (HML-2) transcription levels. At the cellular level, different types of lung cancer cells and human normal lung epithelial cells were used to analyze the transcription levels of the HERV-K (HML-2) gag, pol, and env genes by RT–qPCR. At the level of lung cancer patients, blood samples with background information from 734 lung cancer patients and 96 healthy persons were collected to analyze the transcription levels of HERV-K (HML-2) gag, pol, and env genes. The results showed that the transcriptional levels of the HERV-K (HML-2) gag, pol, and env genes in lung cancer cells and lung cancer patient blood samples were significantly higher than those in the healthy controls, which was also verified by RNAScope ISH technology. In addition, we also found that there was a correlation between the abnormal transcription levels of HERV-K (HML-2) genes in lung cancer patients and the clinicopathological parameters of lung cancer. We also identified the distribution locations of the gag, pol, and env primer sequences on each chromosome and analyzed the function of these loci. In conclusion, HERV-K (HML-2) genes may be a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caiqin Yang
- Department of Virology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Guo
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Jianjie Li
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Jingwan Han
- Department of Virology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Jia
- Department of Virology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, China
| | - Hong-Ling Wen
- Key Laboratory for the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiological Laboratory Technology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Chengxi Sun
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaolin Wang
- Department of Virology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, China
| | - Bohan Zhang
- Department of Virology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, China
| | - Jingyun Li
- Department of Virology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, China
| | - Yujia Chi
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Tongtong An
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Yuyan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Ziping Wang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Ziping Wang,
| | - Hanping Li
- Department of Virology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, China
- Hanping Li,
| | - Lin Li
- Department of Virology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, China
- Lin Li,
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Kim IH, Lee HJ. The Frontline Immunotherapy-Based Treatment of Advanced Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma: Current Evidence and Clinical Perspective. Biomedicines 2022; 10:251. [PMID: 35203461 PMCID: PMC8869224 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10020251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Approximately 400,000 patients are diagnosed with kidney cancer annually worldwide, leading to approximately 170,000 deaths. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for more than 90% of kidney cancers. The most common histological subtype is clear cell RCC, which is found in approximately 85% of metastatic RCC cases. The VHL-HIF-VEGF axis is well known; therefore, targeting VEGF has been the mainstay for managing advanced clear cell RCC. Recently, the treatment landscape for advanced clear cell RCC has changed extensively. In particular, immune checkpoint inhibitor-based treatment showed promising results in front-line treatment and became the standard of care. Herein, we review the current evidence on front-line treatment options and discuss the clinical and future perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- In-Ho Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, College of Medicine, Seoul 06591, Korea;
| | - Hyo Jin Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon 35015, Korea
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