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El Baba R, Herbein G. EZH2-Myc Hallmark in Oncovirus/Cytomegalovirus Infections and Cytomegalovirus' Resemblance to Oncoviruses. Cells 2024; 13:541. [PMID: 38534385 DOI: 10.3390/cells13060541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Approximately 15-20% of global cancer cases are attributed to virus infections. Oncoviruses employ various molecular strategies to enhance replication and persistence. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), acting as an initiator or promoter, enables immune evasion, supporting tumor growth. HCMV activates pro-oncogenic pathways within infected cells and direct cellular transformation. Thus, HCMV demonstrates characteristics reminiscent of oncoviruses. Cumulative evidence emphasizes the crucial roles of EZH2 and Myc in oncogenesis and stemness. EZH2 and Myc, pivotal regulators of cellular processes, gain significance in the context of oncoviruses and HCMV infections. This axis becomes a central focus for comprehending the mechanisms driving virus-induced oncogenesis. Elevated EZH2 expression is evident in various cancers, making it a prospective target for cancer therapy. On the other hand, Myc, deregulated in over 50% of human cancers, serves as a potent transcription factor governing cellular processes and contributing to tumorigenesis; Myc activates EZH2 expression and induces global gene expression. The Myc/EZH2 axis plays a critical role in promoting tumor growth in oncoviruses. Considering that HCMV has been shown to manipulate the Myc/EZH2 axis, there is emerging evidence suggesting that HCMV could be regarded as a potential oncovirus due to its ability to exploit this critical pathway implicated in tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranim El Baba
- Department Pathogens & Inflammation-EPILAB EA4266, University of Franche-Comté UFC, 25000 Besançon, France
| | - Georges Herbein
- Department Pathogens & Inflammation-EPILAB EA4266, University of Franche-Comté UFC, 25000 Besançon, France
- Department of Virology, CHU Besançon, 25030 Besançon, France
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Müller L, Di Benedetto S. Immunosenescence and Cytomegalovirus: Exploring Their Connection in the Context of Aging, Health, and Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:753. [PMID: 38255826 PMCID: PMC10815036 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020753] [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: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging induces numerous physiological alterations, with immunosenescence emerging as a pivotal factor. This phenomenon has attracted both researchers and clinicians, prompting profound questions about its implications for health and disease. Among the contributing factors, one intriguing actor in this complex interplay is human cytomegalovirus (CMV), a member of the herpesvirus family. Latent CMV infection exerts a profound influence on the aging immune system, potentially contributing to age-related diseases. This review delves into the intricate relationship between immunosenescence and CMV, revealing how chronic viral infection impacts the aging immune landscape. We explore the mechanisms through which CMV can impact both the composition and functionality of immune cell populations and induce shifts in inflammatory profiles with aging. Moreover, we examine the potential role of CMV in pathologies such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, COVID-19, and Long COVID. This review underlines the importance of understanding the complex interplay between immunosenescence and CMV. It offers insights into the pathophysiology of aging and age-associated diseases, as well as COVID-19 outcomes among the elderly. By unraveling the connections between immunosenescence and CMV, we gain a deeper understanding of aging's remarkable journey and the profound role that viral infections play in transforming the human immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludmila Müller
- Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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Bouezzedine F, El Baba R, Haidar Ahmad S, Herbein G. Polyploid Giant Cancer Cells Generated from Human Cytomegalovirus-Infected Prostate Epithelial Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4994. [PMID: 37894361 PMCID: PMC10604969 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15204994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy and the sixth leading cause of cancer death in men worldwide. Chromosomal instability (CIN) and polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCCs) have been considered predominant hallmarks of cancer. Recent clinical studies have proven the association of CIN, aneuploidy, and PGCCs with poor prognosis of prostate cancer (PCa). Evidence of HCMV transforming potential might indicate that HCMV may be involved in PCa. METHODS Herein, we underline the role of the high-risk HCMV-DB and -BL clinical strains in transforming prostate epithelial cells and assess the molecular and cellular oncogenic processes associated with PCa. RESULTS Oncogenesis parallels a sustained growth of "CMV-Transformed Prostate epithelial cells" or CTP cells that highly express Myc and EZH2, forming soft agar colonies and displaying stemness as well as mesenchymal features, hence promoting EMT as well as PGCCs and a spheroid appearance. CONCLUSIONS HCMV-induced Myc and EZH2 upregulation coupled with stemness and EMT traits in IE1-expressing CTP might highlight the potential role of HCMV in PCa development and encourage the use of anti-EZH2 and anti-HCMV in PCa treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fidaa Bouezzedine
- Pathogens & Inflammation/EPILAB Laboratory, EA 4266, University of Franche-Comté, 25000 Besançon, France; (F.B.); (R.E.B.); (S.H.A.)
| | - Ranim El Baba
- Pathogens & Inflammation/EPILAB Laboratory, EA 4266, University of Franche-Comté, 25000 Besançon, France; (F.B.); (R.E.B.); (S.H.A.)
| | - Sandy Haidar Ahmad
- Pathogens & Inflammation/EPILAB Laboratory, EA 4266, University of Franche-Comté, 25000 Besançon, France; (F.B.); (R.E.B.); (S.H.A.)
| | - Georges Herbein
- Pathogens & Inflammation/EPILAB Laboratory, EA 4266, University of Franche-Comté, 25000 Besançon, France; (F.B.); (R.E.B.); (S.H.A.)
- Department of Virology, CHU Besançon, 25030 Besançon, France
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El Baba R, Haidar Ahmad S, Monnien F, Mansar R, Bibeau F, Herbein G. Polyploidy, EZH2 upregulation, and transformation in cytomegalovirus-infected human ovarian epithelial cells. Oncogene 2023; 42:3047-3061. [PMID: 37634008 PMCID: PMC10555822 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02813-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection has been implicated in epithelial ovarian cancer (OC). Polyploidy giant cancer cells (PGCCs) have been observed in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC); they possess cancer stem cell-like characteristics and give rise to progeny cells expressing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers. EZH2 plays a potential oncogenic role, correlating with high proliferative index and tumor grade in OC. Herein, we present the experimental evidence for HCMV as a reprogramming vector that elicited human ovarian epithelial cells (OECs) transformation leading to the generation of "CMV-transformed Ovarian cells" (CTO). The infection with the two high-risk clinical strains, namely HCMV-DB and BL provoked a distinct cellular and molecular mechanisms in infected OECs. EZH2 upregulation and cellular proliferation were curtailed by using EZH2 inhibitors. The HGSOC biopsies were characterized by an elevated EZH2 expression, possessing a strong positive correlation between the aforementioned marker and HCMV. From HGSOC biopsies, we isolated three HCMV clinical strains that transformed OECs generating CTO cells which displayed proliferative potentials in addition to EZH2 upregulation and PGCCs generation; these features were reduced upon EZH2 inhibition. High-risk HCMV strains transformed OECs confirming an HCMV-induced epithelial ovarian cancer model and highlighting EZH2 tumorigenic properties. Our findings might be highly relevant in the pathophysiology of ovarian tumors thereby nominating new targeted therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranim El Baba
- Department of Pathogens & Inflammation-EPILAB Laboratory EA4266, University of Franche-Comté, Besançon, France
| | - Sandy Haidar Ahmad
- Department of Pathogens & Inflammation-EPILAB Laboratory EA4266, University of Franche-Comté, Besançon, France
| | | | - Racha Mansar
- Department of Pathology, CHU Besançon, Besançon, France
| | | | - Georges Herbein
- Department of Pathogens & Inflammation-EPILAB Laboratory EA4266, University of Franche-Comté, Besançon, France.
- Department of Virology, CHU Besançon, Besançon, France.
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Peredo-Harvey I, Bartek J, Ericsson C, Yaiw KC, Nistér M, Rahbar A, Söderberg-Naucler C. Higher Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) Specific IgG Antibody Levels in Plasma Samples from Patients with Metastatic Brain Tumors Are Associated with Longer Survival. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:1248. [PMID: 37512060 PMCID: PMC10384986 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59071248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Background: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) has been detected in tissue samples from patients with glioblastoma but little is known about the systemic immunological response to HCMV in these patients. Objectives: To investigate the presence and clinical significance of HCMV antibodies levels in plasma samples obtained from patients with brain tumors. Materials and Methods: HCMV-specific IgG and IgM antibody levels were determined in 59 plasma samples collected from brain tumor patients included in a prospective study and in 114 healthy individuals. We examined if the levels of HCMV specific antibodies varied in patients with different brain tumor diagnoses compared to healthy individuals, and if antibody levels were predictive for survival time. Results: HCMV specific IgG antibodies were detected by ELISA in 80% and 89% of patients with GBM and astrocytoma grades II-III, respectively, in all samples (100%) from patients with secondary GBM and brain metastases, as well as in 80% of healthy donors (n = 114). All plasma samples were negative for HCMV-IgM. Patients with brain metastases who had higher plasma HCMV-IgG titers had longer survival times (p = 0.03). Conclusions: HCMV specific IgG titers were higher among all brain tumor patient groups compared with healthy donors, except for patients with secondary GBM. Higher HCMV specific IgG levels in patients with brain metastases but not in patients with primary brain tumors were associated with prolonged survival time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inti Peredo-Harvey
- Department of Neurosurgery, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-17176 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Medicine Solna, Microbial Pathogenesis Unit, BioClinicum, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17164 Solna, Sweden
| | - Jiri Bartek
- Department of Neurosurgery, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-17176 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17177 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Neurosurgery, Rigshospitalet, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Koon-Chu Yaiw
- Department of Medicine Solna, Microbial Pathogenesis Unit, BioClinicum, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17164 Solna, Sweden
- Division of Neurology, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Monica Nistér
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, BioClinicum, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17164 Solna, Sweden
| | - Afsar Rahbar
- Department of Medicine Solna, Microbial Pathogenesis Unit, BioClinicum, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17164 Solna, Sweden
- Division of Neurology, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Cecilia Söderberg-Naucler
- Department of Medicine Solna, Microbial Pathogenesis Unit, BioClinicum, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17164 Solna, Sweden
- Division of Neurology, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-17176 Stockholm, Sweden
- Institute of Biomedicine, Infection and Immunology Unit, MediCity Research Laboratory, Turku University, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
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Yu C, He S, Zhu W, Ru P, Ge X, Govindasamy K. Human cytomegalovirus in cancer: the mechanism of HCMV-induced carcinogenesis and its therapeutic potential. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1202138. [PMID: 37424781 PMCID: PMC10327488 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1202138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a well-studied herpesvirus, has been implicated in malignancies derived from breast, colorectal muscle, brain, and other cancers. Intricate host-virus interactions are responsible for the cascade of events that have the potential to result in the transformed phenotype of normal cells. The HCMV genome contains oncogenes that may initiate these types of cancers, and although the primary HCMV infection is usually asymptomatic, the virus remains in the body in a latent or persistent form. Viral reactivation causes severe health issues in immune-compromised individuals, including cancer patients, organ transplants, and AIDS patients. This review focuses on the immunologic mechanisms and molecular mechanisms of HCMV-induced carcinogenesis, methods of HCMV treatment, and other studies. Studies show that HCMV DNA and virus-specific antibodies are present in many types of cancers, implicating HCMV as an important player in cancer progression. Importantly, many clinical trials have been initiated to exploit HCMV as a therapeutic target for the treatment of cancer, particularly in immunotherapy strategies in the treatment of breast cancer and glioblastoma patients. Taken together, these findings support a link between HCMV infections and cellular growth that develops into cancer. More importantly, HCMV is the leading cause of birth defects in newborns, and infection with HCMV is responsible for abortions in pregnant women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuan Yu
- Animal Diseases and Public Health Engineering Research Center of Henan Province, Luoyang Polytechnic, Luoyang, Henan, China
| | - Suna He
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, China
| | - Wenwen Zhu
- Animal Diseases and Public Health Engineering Research Center of Henan Province, Luoyang Polytechnic, Luoyang, Henan, China
| | - Penghui Ru
- Animal Diseases and Public Health Engineering Research Center of Henan Province, Luoyang Polytechnic, Luoyang, Henan, China
| | - Xuemei Ge
- School of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Kavitha Govindasamy
- School of Arts and Science, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, United States
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