Transactivation of human endogenous retrovirus K (HERV-K) by KSHV promotes Kaposi's sarcoma development
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-10-2018
Publication Title
Oncogene
Abstract
Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the causative agent of several human cancers such as Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), which represents the most common AIDS-associated malignancy that lacks effective treatment options. Despite its clear role in AIDS malignancies, the fact that only a small set of KSHV-infected patients will eventually develop these tumors implies that additional co-factors are required for the development of KSHV-related cancers. In the current study, we demonstrate for the first time that KSHV de novo infection or viral latent proteins are able to transactivate human endogenous retrovirus K (HERV-K) through a variety of cellular signaling pathways and transcriptional factors. Moreover, we found that HERV-K transactivation, particularly activation of its encoded oncogenic NP9 protein, plays an important role in KSHV pathogenesis and tumorigenesis in vitro and in vivo. Our data provide innovative insights into the mechanisms of HERV-K transactivation contributing to viral oncogenesis, which may represent a promising target for KS treatment.
First Page
4534
Last Page
4545
PubMed ID
29743595
Volume
37
Issue
33
Recommended Citation
Dai, Lu; Del Valle, Luis; Miley, Wendell; Whitby, Denise; Ochoa, Augusto C.; Flemington, Erik K.; and Qin, Zhiqiang, "Transactivation of human endogenous retrovirus K (HERV-K) by KSHV promotes Kaposi's sarcoma development" (2018). School of Medicine Faculty Publications. 2317.
https://digitalscholar.lsuhsc.edu/som_facpubs/2317
10.1038/s41388-018-0282-4