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Liu G, Chen X, Luan Y, Li D. VirusPredictor: XGBoost-based software to predict virus-related sequences in human data. Bioinformatics 2024; 40:btae192. [PMID: 38597887 PMCID: PMC11052659 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btae192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Discovering disease causative pathogens, particularly viruses without reference genomes, poses a technical challenge as they are often unidentifiable through sequence alignment. Machine learning prediction of patient high-throughput sequences unmappable to human and pathogen genomes may reveal sequences originating from uncharacterized viruses. Currently, there is a lack of software specifically designed for accurately predicting such viral sequences in human data. RESULTS We developed a fast XGBoost method and software VirusPredictor leveraging an in-house viral genome database. Our two-step XGBoost models first classify each query sequence into one of three groups: infectious virus, endogenous retrovirus (ERV) or non-ERV human. The prediction accuracies increased as the sequences became longer, i.e. 0.76, 0.93, and 0.98 for 150-350 (Illumina short reads), 850-950 (Sanger sequencing data), and 2000-5000 bp sequences, respectively. Then, sequences predicted to be from infectious viruses are further classified into one of six virus taxonomic subgroups, and the accuracies increased from 0.92 to >0.98 when query sequences increased from 150-350 to >850 bp. The results suggest that Illumina short reads should be de novo assembled into contigs (e.g. ∼1000 bp or longer) before prediction whenever possible. We applied VirusPredictor to multiple real genomic and metagenomic datasets and obtained high accuracies. VirusPredictor, a user-friendly open-source Python software, is useful for predicting the origins of patients' unmappable sequences. This study is the first to classify ERVs in infectious viral sequence prediction. This is also the first study combining virus sub-group predictions. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION www.dllab.org/software/VirusPredictor.html.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangchen Liu
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405, United States
- School of Mathematics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250100, China
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Ludong University, Yantai, Shandong 264025, China
| | - Xun Chen
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405, United States
| | - Yihui Luan
- School of Mathematics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250100, China
| | - Dawei Li
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405, United States
- Department of Immunology and Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas 79430, United States
- ICanCME Research Network, Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1C5, Canada
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Buck CB, Welch N, Belford AK, Varsani A, Pastrana DV, Tisza MJ, Starrett GJ. Widespread Horizontal Gene Transfer Among Animal Viruses. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.25.586562. [PMID: 38712252 PMCID: PMC11071296 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.25.586562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
The initial objective of this study was to shed light on the evolution of small DNA tumor viruses by analyzing de novo assemblies of publicly available deep sequencing datasets. The survey generated a searchable database of contig snapshots representing more than 100,000 Sequence Read Archive records. Using modern structure-aware search tools, we iteratively broadened the search to include an increasingly wide range of other virus families. The analysis revealed a surprisingly diverse range of chimeras involving different virus groups. In some instances, genes resembling known DNA-replication modules or known virion protein operons were paired with unrecognizable sequences that structural predictions suggest may represent previously unknown replicases and novel virion architectures. Discrete clades of an emerging group called adintoviruses were discovered in datasets representing humans and other primates. As a proof of concept, we show that the contig database is also useful for discovering RNA viruses and candidate archaeal phages. The ancillary searches revealed additional examples of chimerization between different virus groups. The observations support a gene-centric taxonomic framework that should be useful for future virus-hunting efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicole Welch
- National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
- current affiliation: L.E.K. Consulting, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anna K. Belford
- National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
- current affiliation: University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Arvind Varsani
- Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
- University of Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Michael J. Tisza
- National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
- current affiliation: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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Liu ZL, Meng XY, Bao RJ, Shen MY, Sun JJ, Chen WD, Liu F, He Y. Single cell deciphering of progression trajectories of the tumor ecosystem in head and neck cancer. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2595. [PMID: 38519500 PMCID: PMC10959966 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46912-6] [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: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and has high heterogeneity and unsatisfactory outcomes. To better characterize the tumor progression trajectory, we perform single-cell RNA sequencing of normal tissue, precancerous tissue, early-stage, advanced-stage cancer tissue, lymph node, and recurrent tumors tissue samples. We identify the transcriptional development trajectory of malignant epithelial cells and a tumorigenic epithelial subcluster regulated by TFDP1. Furthermore, we find that the infiltration of POSTN+ fibroblasts and SPP1+ macrophages gradually increases with tumor progression; their interaction or interaction with malignant cells also gradually increase to shape the desmoplastic microenvironment and reprogram malignant cells to promote tumor progression. Additionally, we demonstrate that during lymph node metastasis, exhausted CD8+ T cells with high CXCL13 expression strongly interact with tumor cells to acquire more aggressive phenotypes of extranodal expansion. Finally, we delineate the distinct features of malignant epithelial cells in primary and recurrent tumors, providing a theoretical foundation for the precise selection of targeted therapy for tumors at different stages. In summary, the current study offers a comprehensive landscape and deep insight into epithelial and microenvironmental reprogramming throughout initiation, progression, lymph node metastasis and recurrence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z L Liu
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial & Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; National Center for Stomatology; National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology Shanghai, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - X Y Meng
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial & Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; National Center for Stomatology; National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology Shanghai, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - R J Bao
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - M Y Shen
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - J J Sun
- Department of Oral Pathology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; National Center for Stomatology; National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology Shanghai, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - W D Chen
- Novel Bioinformatics Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - F Liu
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Y He
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial & Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; National Center for Stomatology; National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology Shanghai, Shanghai, 200011, China.
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Chung IY, Kim J, Koh A. The Microbiome Matters: Its Impact on Cancer Development and Therapeutic Responses. J Microbiol 2024; 62:137-152. [PMID: 38587593 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-024-00110-7] [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: 12/16/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
In the evolving landscape of cancer research, the human microbiome emerges as a pivotal determinant reshaping our understanding of tumorigenesis and therapeutic responses. Advanced sequencing technologies have uncovered a vibrant microbial community not confined to the gut but thriving within tumor tissues. Comprising bacteria, viruses, and fungi, this diverse microbiota displays distinct signatures across various cancers, with most research primarily focusing on bacteria. The correlations between specific microbial taxa within different cancer types underscore their pivotal roles in driving tumorigenesis and influencing therapeutic responses, particularly in chemotherapy and immunotherapy. This review amalgamates recent discoveries, emphasizing the translocation of the oral microbiome to the gut as a potential marker for microbiome dysbiosis across diverse cancer types and delves into potential mechanisms contributing to cancer promotion. Furthermore, it highlights the adverse effects of the microbiome on cancer development while exploring its potential in fortifying strategies for cancer prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- In-Young Chung
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jihyun Kim
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Ara Koh
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea.
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Peters BA, Kelly L, Wang T, Loudig O, Rohan TE. The Breast Microbiome in Breast Cancer Risk and Progression: A Narrative Review. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024; 33:9-19. [PMID: 37943168 DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.epi-23-0965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
A decade ago, studies in human populations first revealed the existence of a unique microbial community in the breast, a tissue historically viewed as sterile, with microbial origins seeded through the nipple and/or translocation from other body sites. Since then, research efforts have been made to characterize the microbiome in healthy and cancerous breast tissues. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current evidence for the association of the breast microbiome with breast cancer risk and progression. Briefly, while many studies have examined the breast microbiome in patients with breast cancer, and compared it with the microbiome of benign breast disease tissue or normal breast tissue, these studies have varied widely in their sample sizes, methods, and quality of evidence. Thus, while several large and rigorous cross-sectional studies have provided key evidence of an altered microbiome in breast tumors compared with normal adjacent and healthy control tissue, there are few consistent patterns of perturbed microbial taxa. In addition, only one large prospective study has provided evidence of a relationship between the breast tumor microbiota and cancer prognosis. Future research studies featuring large, well-characterized cohorts with prospective follow-up for breast cancer incidence, progression, and response to treatment are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandilyn A Peters
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Libusha Kelly
- Department of Systems and Computational Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Tao Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Olivier Loudig
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, New Jersey
| | - Thomas E Rohan
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
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Huo JT, Tuersun A, Yu SY, Zhang YC, Feng WQ, Xu ZQ, Zhao JK, Zong YP, Lu AG. Leveraging a KRAS-based signature to predict the prognosis and drug sensitivity of colon cancer and identifying SPINK4 as a new biomarker. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22230. [PMID: 38097680 PMCID: PMC10721872 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48768-0] [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: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
KRAS is one of the leading mutations reported in colon cancer. However, there are few studies on the application of KRAS related signature in predicting prognosis and drug sensitivity of colon cancer patient. We identified KRAS related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. A signature closely related to overall survival was recognized with Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and univariate cox regression analysis. Then we validated this signature with overall expression score (OE score) algorithm using both scRNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq data. Based on this signature, we performed LASSO cox regression to establish a prognostic model, and corresponding scores were calculated. Differences in genomic alteration, immune microenvironment, drug sensitivity between high- and low-KRD score groups were investigated. A KRAS related signature composed of 80 DEGs in colon cancer were recognized, among which 19 genes were selected to construct a prognostic model. This KRAS related signature was significantly correlated with worse prognosis. Furthermore, patients who scored lower in the prognostic model presented a higher likelihood of responding to chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Furthermore, among the 19 selected genes in the model, SPINK4 was identified as an independent prognostic biomarker. Further validation in vitro indicated the knockdown of SPINK4 promoted the proliferation and migration of SW48 cells. In conclusion, a novel KRAS related signature was identified and validated based on clinical and genomic information from TCGA and GEO databases. The signature was proved to regulate genomic alteration, immune microenvironment and drug sensitivity in colon cancer, and thus might serve as a predictor for individual prognosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Ting Huo
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200020, People's Republic of China
| | - Abudumaimaitijiang Tuersun
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200020, People's Republic of China
| | - Su-Yue Yu
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200020, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu-Chen Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200020, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Qing Feng
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200020, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhuo-Qing Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200020, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing-Kun Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200020, People's Republic of China.
| | - Ya-Ping Zong
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200020, People's Republic of China.
| | - Ai-Guo Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200020, People's Republic of China.
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Schäffer DE, Li W, Elbasir A, Altieri DC, Long Q, Auslander N. Microbial gene expression analysis of healthy and cancerous esophagus uncovers bacterial biomarkers of clinical outcomes. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:128. [PMID: 38049632 PMCID: PMC10696091 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-023-00338-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Local microbiome shifts are implicated in the development and progression of gastrointestinal cancers, and in particular, esophageal carcinoma (ESCA), which is among the most aggressive malignancies. Short-read RNA sequencing (RNAseq) is currently the leading technology to study gene expression changes in cancer. However, using RNAseq to study microbial gene expression is challenging. Here, we establish a new tool to efficiently detect viral and bacterial expression in human tissues through RNAseq. This approach employs a neural network to predict reads of likely microbial origin, which are targeted for assembly into longer contigs, improving identification of microbial species and genes. This approach is applied to perform a systematic comparison of bacterial expression in ESCA and healthy esophagi. We uncover bacterial genera that are over or underabundant in ESCA vs healthy esophagi both before and after correction for possible covariates, including patient metadata. However, we find that bacterial taxonomies are not significantly associated with clinical outcomes. Strikingly, in contrast, dozens of microbial proteins were significantly associated with poor patient outcomes and in particular, proteins that perform mitochondrial functions and iron-sulfur coordination. We further demonstrate associations between these microbial proteins and dysregulated host pathways in ESCA patients. Overall, these results suggest possible influences of bacteria on the development of ESCA and uncover new prognostic biomarkers based on microbial genes. In addition, this study provides a framework for the analysis of other human malignancies whose development may be driven by pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E Schäffer
- Computational Biology Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Wenrui Li
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | | | - Qi Long
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Noam Auslander
- The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
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Shin D, Kim J, Lee JH, Kim JI, Oh YM. Profiling of Microbial Landscape in Lung of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients Using RNA Sequencing. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis 2023; 18:2531-2542. [PMID: 38022823 PMCID: PMC10644840 DOI: 10.2147/copd.s426260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The aim of the study was to use RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data of lung from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients to identify the bacteria that are most commonly detected. Additionally, the study sought to investigate the differences in these infections between normal lung tissues and those affected by COPD. Patients and Methods We re-analyzed RNA-seq data of lung from 99 COPD patients and 93 non-COPD smokers to determine the extent to which the metagenomes differed between the two groups and to assess the reliability of the metagenomes. We used unmapped reads in the RNA-seq data that were not aligned to the human reference genome to identify more common infections in COPD patients. Results We identified 18 bacteria that exhibited significant differences between the COPD and non-COPD smoker groups. Among these, Yersinia enterocolitica was found to be more than 30% more abundant in COPD. Additionally, we observed difference in detection rate based on smoking history. To ensure the accuracy of our findings and distinguish them from false positives, we double-check the metagenomic profile using Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST). We were able to identify and remove specific species that might have been misclassified as other species in Kraken2 but were actually Staphylococcus aureus, as identified by BLAST analysis. Conclusion This study highlighted the method of using unmapped reads, which were not typically used in sequencing data, to identify microorganisms present in patients with lung diseases such as COPD. This method expanded our understanding of the microbial landscape in COPD and provided insights into the potential role of microorganisms in disease development and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongjin Shin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Juhyun Kim
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jang Ho Lee
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Il Kim
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Genomic Medicine Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Seoul National University Cancer Research Institute, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeon-Mok Oh
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Trishna S, Lavon A, Shteinfer-Kuzmine A, Dafa-Berger A, Shoshan-Barmatz V. Overexpression of the mitochondrial anti-viral signaling protein, MAVS, in cancers is associated with cell survival and inflammation. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2023; 33:713-732. [PMID: 37662967 PMCID: PMC10468804 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2023.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Mitochondrial anti-viral signaling protein (MAVS) plays an important role in host defense against viral infection via coordinating the activation of NF-κB and interferon regulatory factors. The mitochondrial-bound form of MAVS is essential for its anti-viral innate immunity. Recently, tumor cells were proposed to mimic a viral infection by activating RNA-sensing pattern recognition receptors. Here, we demonstrate that MAVS is overexpressed in a panel of viral non-infected cancer cell lines and patient-derived tumors, including lung, liver, bladder, and cervical cancers, and we studied its role in cancer. Silencing MAVS expression reduced cell proliferation and the expression and nuclear translocation of proteins associated with transcriptional regulation, inflammation, and immunity. MAVS depletion reduced expression of the inflammasome components and inhibited its activation/assembly. Moreover, MAVS directly interacts with the mitochondrial protein VDAC1, decreasing its conductance, and we identified the VDAC1 binding site in MAVS. Our findings suggest that MAVS depletion, by reducing cancer cell proliferation and inflammation, represents a new target for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sweta Trishna
- Department of Life Sciences, University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Avia Lavon
- Department of Life Sciences, University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Anna Shteinfer-Kuzmine
- National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Avis Dafa-Berger
- Department of Life Sciences, University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Varda Shoshan-Barmatz
- Department of Life Sciences, University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
- National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
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Mendes-Rocha M, Pereira-Marques J, Ferreira RM, Figueiredo C. Gastric Cancer: The Microbiome Beyond Helicobacter pylori. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2023; 444:157-184. [PMID: 38231218 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-47331-9_6] [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] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Gastric cancer remains an important global health burden. Helicobacter pylori is the major etiological factor in gastric cancer, infecting the stomach of almost half of the population worldwide. Recent progress in microbiome research offered a new perspective on the complexity of the microbial communities of the stomach. Still, the role of the microbiome of the stomach beyond H. pylori in gastric carcinogenesis is not well understood and requires deeper investigation. The gastric bacterial communities of gastric cancer patients are distinct from those of patients without cancer, but the microbial alterations that occur along the process of gastric carcinogenesis, and the mechanisms through which microorganisms influence cancer progression still need to be clarified. Except for Epstein-Barr virus, the potential significance of the virome and of the mycobiome in gastric cancer have received less attention. This chapter updates the current knowledge regarding the gastric microbiome, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, within the context of H. pylori-mediated carcinogenesis. It also reviews the possible roles of the local gastric microbiota, as well as the microbial communities of the oral and gut ecosystems, as biomarkers for gastric cancer detection. Finally, it discusses future perspectives and acknowledges limitations in the area of microbiome research in the gastric cancer setting, to which further research efforts should be directed. These will be fundamental not only to increase our current understanding of host-microbial interactions but also to facilitate translation of the findings into innovative preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic strategies to decrease the global burden of gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Mendes-Rocha
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
- Ipatimup-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho 45, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana Pereira-Marques
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
- Ipatimup-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho 45, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - Rui M Ferreira
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
- Ipatimup-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho 45, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ceu Figueiredo
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.
- Ipatimup-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho 45, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal.
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