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Rivas SR, Mendez Valdez MJ, Chandar JS, Desgraves JF, Lu VM, Ampie L, Singh EB, Seetharam D, Ramsoomair CK, Hudson A, Ingle SM, Govindarajan V, Doucet-O’Hare TT, DeMarino C, Heiss JD, Nath A, Shah AH. Antiretroviral Drug Repositioning for Glioblastoma. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1754. [PMID: 38730705 PMCID: PMC11083594 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16091754] [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: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Outcomes for glioblastoma (GBM) remain poor despite standard-of-care treatments including surgical resection, radiation, and chemotherapy. Intratumoral heterogeneity contributes to treatment resistance and poor prognosis, thus demanding novel therapeutic approaches. Drug repositioning studies on antiretroviral therapy (ART) have shown promising potent antineoplastic effects in multiple cancers; however, its efficacy in GBM remains unclear. To better understand the pleiotropic anticancer effects of ART on GBM, we conducted a comprehensive drug repurposing analysis of ART in GBM to highlight its utility in translational neuro-oncology. To uncover the anticancer role of ART in GBM, we conducted a comprehensive bioinformatic and in vitro screen of antiretrovirals against glioblastoma. Using the DepMap repository and reversal of gene expression score, we conducted an unbiased screen of 16 antiretrovirals in 40 glioma cell lines to identify promising candidates for GBM drug repositioning. We utilized patient-derived neurospheres and glioma cell lines to assess neurosphere viability, proliferation, and stemness. Our in silico screen revealed that several ART drugs including reverse transcriptase inhibitors (RTIs) and protease inhibitors (PIs) demonstrated marked anti-glioma activity with the capability of reversing the GBM disease signature. RTIs effectively decreased cell viability, GBM stem cell markers, and proliferation. Our study provides mechanistic and functional insight into the utility of ART repurposing for malignant gliomas, which supports the current literature. Given their safety profile, preclinical efficacy, and neuropenetrance, ARTs may be a promising adjuvant treatment for GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R. Rivas
- Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (S.R.R.); (L.A.); (A.N.)
- Section of Virology and Immunotherapy, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA (E.B.S.)
| | - Mynor J. Mendez Valdez
- Section of Virology and Immunotherapy, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA (E.B.S.)
| | - Jay S. Chandar
- Section of Virology and Immunotherapy, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA (E.B.S.)
| | - Jelisah F. Desgraves
- Section of Virology and Immunotherapy, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA (E.B.S.)
| | - Victor M. Lu
- Section of Virology and Immunotherapy, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA (E.B.S.)
| | - Leo Ampie
- Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (S.R.R.); (L.A.); (A.N.)
| | - Eric B. Singh
- Section of Virology and Immunotherapy, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA (E.B.S.)
| | - Deepa Seetharam
- Section of Virology and Immunotherapy, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA (E.B.S.)
| | - Christian K. Ramsoomair
- Section of Virology and Immunotherapy, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA (E.B.S.)
| | - Anna Hudson
- Section of Virology and Immunotherapy, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA (E.B.S.)
| | - Shreya M. Ingle
- Section of Virology and Immunotherapy, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA (E.B.S.)
| | - Vaidya Govindarajan
- Section of Virology and Immunotherapy, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA (E.B.S.)
| | - Tara T. Doucet-O’Hare
- Neuro-Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Catherine DeMarino
- Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (S.R.R.); (L.A.); (A.N.)
| | - John D. Heiss
- Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (S.R.R.); (L.A.); (A.N.)
| | - Avindra Nath
- Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (S.R.R.); (L.A.); (A.N.)
| | - Ashish H. Shah
- Section of Virology and Immunotherapy, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA (E.B.S.)
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Lu VM, Shah AH, González MM. The Potential of Liquorpheresis to Treat Leptomeningeal Disease. World Neurosurg 2024; 187:93-98. [PMID: 38636632 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2024.04.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Leptomeningeal disease (LMD) is a devastating sequela of many cancers, with an extremely poor prognosis. Barriers to improving outcomes are related to the inability of many traditional therapies to effectively reach the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) space within the central nervous system. Liquorpheresis is an emerging treatment modality specific to CSF diseases, the primary mechanism of action of which is direct targeted filtration of CSF content by neurosurgical access. In this review, we highlight the principles of liquorpheresis and detail how LMD can be amenable to this treatment. Further, we summarize the current in vitro and in vivo evidence supporting liquorpheresis as a feasible method to treat LMD and other central nervous system diseases as well as describe its conceivable limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor M Lu
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA.
| | - Ashish H Shah
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Manuel Menéndez González
- Department of Medicine, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
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3
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Dopkins N, Nixon DF. Activation of human endogenous retroviruses and its physiological consequences. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024; 25:212-222. [PMID: 37872387 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-023-00674-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are abundant sequences that persist within the human genome as remnants of ancient retroviral infections. These sequences became fixed and accumulate mutations or deletions over time. HERVs have affected human evolution and physiology by providing a unique repertoire of coding and non-coding sequences to the genome. In healthy individuals, HERVs participate in immune responses, formation of syncytiotrophoblasts and cell-fate specification. In this Review, we discuss how endogenized retroviral motifs and regulatory sequences have been co-opted into human physiology and how they are tightly regulated. Infections and mutations can derail this regulation, leading to differential HERV expression, which may contribute to pathologies including neurodegeneration, pathological inflammation and oncogenesis. Emerging evidence demonstrates that HERVs are crucial to human health and represent an understudied facet of many diseases, and we therefore argue that investigating their fundamental properties could improve existing therapies and help develop novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Dopkins
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Douglas F Nixon
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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4
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Soleimani-Jelodar R, Arashkia A, Shoja Z, Akhavan S, Yarandi F, Sharifian K, Farahmand M, Nili F, Jalilvand S. The expression analysis of human endogenous retrovirus-K Env, Np9, and Rec transcripts in cervical cancer. J Med Virol 2024; 96:e29501. [PMID: 38445563 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29501] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
While infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types is necessary for cervical cancer (CC) development, it is not enough, and other risk factors are required. Several studies have reported the activation of HERV-K in different cancers; however, the investigation of HERV-K expression levels in CC is scarce. In this study, it was hypothesized that activation of HERV-K could play an essential role in CC development. In this order, the expression levels of HERV-K Env, Np9, and Rec transcripts were investigated on 147 normal to CC uterine cervical tissues using quantitative real-time PCR. The significantly higher levels of HERV-K Env and Np9 transcripts were found in patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) II-III and CC groups compared to those in the normal/CIN I group. Expression of Rec transcript was also higher only in the CC group than normal/CIN I group. Among CC patients, meaningfully higher levels of HERV-K Env and Np9 transcripts were found in patients with squamous cell carcinoma rather than in adenocarcinoma. When only the HPV 16 positive samples were investigated, it was found that the mean difference in Env and Np9 mRNA levels was meaningfully higher among precancer lesions and the cancer group in comparison with the normal group. However, the Rec mRNA level showed no significant differences. The association between the expression of HERV-K genes was investigated, and a significant positive correlation of Env expression with Np9 transcript was found only in the group with precancer lesions (R = 0.6, p = 0.0037). Moreover, a significant positive correlation was found between Rec and Np9 transcripts in patients with normal cervix tissues (R = 0.26, p = 0.033). However, no correlations were observed between the expression of Env and Rec in the three groups. In conclusion, our results showed that HERV-K transcripts, especially Env and Np9, upregulated during cervical lesion progression. These findings highlight the potential use of HERV-K Env and Np9 as biomarkers for CC diagnosis and prognosis. Further investigation is needed to determine the clinical utility of these markers and whether targeting HERV-K oncogenes could be a viable therapeutic strategy for CC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahim Soleimani-Jelodar
- Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Arash Arashkia
- Department of Molecular Virology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zabihollah Shoja
- Department of Molecular Virology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Setareh Akhavan
- Department of Gynecology Oncology, Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, Valiasr Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fariba Yarandi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yas Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kimia Sharifian
- Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Farahmand
- Research Center for Emergency and Disaster Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Nili
- Department of Pathology, Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Somayeh Jalilvand
- Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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5
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Mantovani F, Kitsou K, Magiorkinis G. HERVs: Expression Control Mechanisms and Interactions in Diseases and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:192. [PMID: 38397182 PMCID: PMC10888493 DOI: 10.3390/genes15020192] [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: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are the result of retroviral infections acquired millions of years ago; nowadays, they compose around 8% of human DNA. Multiple mechanisms have been employed for endogenous retroviral deactivation, rendering replication and retrotransposition defective, while some of them have been co-opted to serve host evolutionary advantages. A pleiad of mechanisms retains the delicate balance of HERV expression in modern humans. Thus, epigenetic modifications, such as DNA and histone methylation, acetylation, deamination, chromatin remodeling, and even post-transcriptional control are recruited. In this review, we aim to summarize the main HERV silencing pathways, revisit paradigms of human disease with a HERV component, and emphasize the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and HERV interactions during HIV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Gkikas Magiorkinis
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (F.M.); (K.K.)
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Govindarajan V, Chandar J, Nath A, Shah AH. Metagenome analyses identify human endogenous retrovirus-K113 (HML-2) subtype in glioblastoma. Reply. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e176406. [PMID: 38099503 PMCID: PMC10721138 DOI: 10.1172/jci176406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Vaidya Govindarajan
- Miller School of Medicine, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA
| | - Jay Chandar
- Miller School of Medicine, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA
| | - Avindra Nath
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Ashish H. Shah
- Miller School of Medicine, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA
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Macamo A, Beckervordersandforth J, zur Hausen A. Metagenome analyses identify human endogenous retrovirus-K113 (HML-2) subtype in glioblastoma. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e173959. [PMID: 38099502 PMCID: PMC10721142 DOI: 10.1172/jci173959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
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DeMarino C, Nath A, Zhuang Z, Doucet-O’Hare TT. Does the interplay between human endogenous retrovirus K and extracellular vesicles contribute to aging? EXTRACELLULAR VESICLES AND CIRCULATING NUCLEIC ACIDS 2023; 4:548-56. [PMID: 38606283 PMCID: PMC11007738 DOI: 10.20517/evcna.2023.45] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
The role of extracellular vesicles (EVs), including retroviral-like particles (RVLPs), in pathogenic processes is currently a subject of active investigation. Several studies have identified mechanistic links between the increased presence of EVs and the process of senescence. A recent study reveals that the reverse transcribed complementary DNA (cDNA) of a human endogenous retroviral sequence can activate the innate immune system and result in tissue damage and/or the spread of cellular senescence to distant tissues. Several studies have linked EVs to age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, and have included isolation of EVs from individuals with these diseases. Loss of epigenetic regulation, immune activation, and environmental stimuli can all lead to the expression of endogenous retroviruses and the incorporation of their proteins and transcripts into EVs. In addition, EVs disseminating these endogenous retroviral components have now been shown to act in a paracrine manner in multiple human diseases. Further investigation of the connection between EVs containing endogenous retroviral protein products or nucleotides should be pursued in models of age-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine DeMarino
- Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Avindra Nath
- Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Zhengping Zhuang
- Neuro-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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9
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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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Hothi P, Cobbs C. The potential role of human endogenous retrovirus K in glioblastoma. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e170885. [PMID: 37395278 DOI: 10.1172/jci170885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The most active human endogenous retrovirus K (HERV-K) subtype, HML-2, has been implicated as a driver of oncogenesis in several cancers. However, the presence and function of HML-2 in malignant gliomas has remained unclear. In this issue of the JCI, Shah and colleagues demonstrate HML-2 overexpression in glioblastoma (GBM) and its role in maintaining the cancer stem cell phenotype. Given that stem-like cells are considered responsible for GBM heterogeneity and treatment resistance, targeting the stem cell niche may reduce tumor recurrence and improve clinical outcomes. The findings provide a foundation for future studies to determine whether antiretroviral and/or immunotherapy approaches targeting HML-2 could be used as therapeutics for GBM.
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