When Viruses Cross Developmental Pathways

Human Herpes Virus Genotype and Immunological Gene Expression Profile in Prostate Cancer with Prominent Inflammation

We aim to investigate the role of the Herpesviridae family (HHV) in the onset and progression of prostate cancer (PCa) and to profile the local PCa immunological status. A total of 116 "tru-cut" biopsies (58 PCa and 58 benign prostatic hyperplasia [BPH]) and 49 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) instances of PCa were analysed using real-time qPCR and histological examination. Infection with CMV, EBV, HHV6, and HHV7 was detected in 11.5% of the "tru-cut" biopsies (25.9% in BPH and 6.9% in the PCa group). In the formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples, infection was detected in 69.4% of the patients, with individual rates of EBV (47%), HHV6 (38%), HHV7 (41%), CMV (2.9%), HSV2 (2.9%), and VZV (5.8%). In the HHV-infected PCa cases, the histopathological landscape included intratumor lymphocyte infiltration with fibrosis and necrosis, periductal chronic inflammatory reaction and granulomatous lesions with foci of abscesses and necrosis, as well as inflammatory infiltration, chronic lymphadenitis, prostatic intraepithelial atrophy (PIA), and high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN). The majority of HHV-infected PCa patients were predominantly classified as grade G3/G4/G5 tumours, exhibiting perineural, perivascular, and lymphovascular invasion, seminal vesicle invasion, senile vesicle amyloidosis, and lymph node metastasis. Statistical analysis demonstrated a significant association between HHV infection and PCa (χ2 ≈ 20.3, df = 1, p < 0.0001; Fisher's exact test, p < 0.0001) with an odds ratio of 6.50 (95% CI: 2.80-15.12). These findings suggest that long-term HHV infection could contribute to a complicated and potentially altered immune PCa tumour environment due to inflammation. This may serve as a predictor of aggressive disease progression.

Epstein-Barr Virus: Human Interactome Reveals New Molecular Insights into Viral Pathogenesis for Potential Therapeutics and Antiviral Drug Discovery

Host-virus Protein-Protein Interactions (PPIs) play pivotal roles in biological processes crucial for viral pathogenesis and by extension, inform antiviral drug discovery and therapeutics innovations. Despite efforts to develop the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-host PPI network, there remain significant knowledge gaps and a limited number of interacting human proteins deciphered. Furthermore, understanding the dynamics of the EBV-host PPI network in the distinct lytic and latent viral stages remains elusive. In this study, we report a comprehensive map of the EBV-human protein interactions, encompassing 1752 human and 61 EBV proteins by integrating data from the public repository HPIDB (v3.0) as well as curated high-throughput proteomic data from the literature. To address the stage-specific nature of EBV infection, we generated two detailed subset networks representing the latent and lytic stages, comprising 747 and 481 human proteins, respectively. Functional and pathway enrichment analysis of these subsets uncovered the profound impact of EBV proteins on cancer. The identification of highly connected proteins and the characterization of intrinsically disordered and cancer-related proteins provide valuable insights into potential therapeutic targets. Moreover, the exploration of drug-protein interactions revealed notable associations between hub proteins and anticancer drugs, offering novel perspectives for controlling EBV pathogenesis. This study represents, to the best of our knowledge, the first comprehensive investigation of the two distinct stages of EBV infection using high-throughput datasets. This makes a contribution to our understanding of EBV-host interactions and provides a foundation for future drug discovery and therapeutic interventions.

Infectious Agents Induce Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway Deregulation in Primary Liver Cancers

Interaction between infectious agents and liver tissue, as well as repeated and extreme biological events beyond adaptive capacities, may result in pathological conditions predisposing people to development of primary liver cancers (PLCs). In adults, PLCs mainly comprise hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Various infectious agents in the hepatic microenvironment can destabilize normal liver cell functions by modulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway components. Among them, hepatotropic viruses B, C, and D are involved in Wnt/β-catenin signaling dysregulation. Other microbial agents, including oncogenic viruses such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human papilloma virus (HPV), bacteria, e.g., Mycoplasma hyorhinis and Salmonella Typhi, the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, the fungus Aspergillus flavus, and liver flukes such as Clonorchissinensis or Opisthorchis viverrini, may induce malignant transformation in hepatocytes or in target cells of the biliary tract through aberrant Wnt signaling activation. This review focuses on new insights into infectious agents implicated in the deregulation of Wnt signaling and PLC development. Since the Wnt/β-catenin pathway is a driver of cancer following viral and bacterial infections, molecules inhibiting the complex axis of Wnt signaling could represent novel therapeutic approaches in PLC treatment.

Critical roles of cytokine storm and bacterial infection in patients with COVID-19: therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cells

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has been a shocking disaster for healthcare systems worldwide since December 2019. This virus can affect all systems of the body and its symptoms vary from a simple upper respiratory infection to fatal complications including end-organ damage. On the other hand, the normal immune system plays a pivotal role in the recovery of infectious diseases such as COVID-19. However, occasionally, exaggerated immune system inflammation and an excessive synthesis of cytokines, known as a "cytokine storm," can deteriorate the patient's clinical condition. Secondary bacterial co-infection is another problem in COVID-19 which affects the prognosis of patients. Although there are a few studies about this complication, they suggest not using antibiotics commonly, especially broad-spectrum ones. During this pandemic, various approaches and therapeutics were introduced for treating COVID-19 patients. However, available treatments are not helpful enough, especially for complicated cases. Hence, in this era, cell therapy and regenerative medicine will create new opportunities. Therefore, the therapeutic benefits of mesenchymal stem cells, especially their antimicrobial activity, will help us understand how to treat COVID-19. Herein, mesenchymal stem cells may stop the immune system from becoming overactive in COVID-19 patients. On the other side, the stem cells' capacity for repair could encourage natural healing processes.

Targeting Wnt/β-Catenin Pathways in Primary Liver Tumours: From Microenvironment Signaling to Therapeutic Agents

Primary liver cancers (PLCs) are steadily increasing in incidence and mortality in the world. They have a poor prognosis due to their silent nature, late discovery and resistance to common chemotherapy. At present, there are limited treatment alternatives, and the understanding of PLC molecular aspects is essential to develop more efficient drugs and therapeutic surgical and loco-regional strategies. A clear causal link with liver damage, inflammation, and regeneration has been found in the occurrence of PLC over the last few decades. Physiologically, Wingless/It (Wnt)-β-catenin signaling plays a key role in liver development, metabolic zonation and regeneration. Loss of functional homeostasis of this pathway appears to be a major driver of carcinogenesis in the liver parenchyma. In the hepatic microenvironment, molecular deregulations that exceed the Wnt signaling biological capacity can induce tumor initiation and progression. Indeed, somatic mutations are identified in key components of canonical and non-canonical Wnt signaling and in PLCs and precancerous lesions. In this review, the altered functions of Wnt/β-catenin signaling are considered in human PLCs, with emphasis on hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC), cholangiocarcinomas (CCA) and hepatoblastomas (HB). Based on recent literature, we also focused on liver cancerogenesis through Wnt deregulation. An overview of preclinical and clinical studies on approved and experimental drugs, targeting the Wnt/β-catenin cascade in PLCs, is proposed. In addition, the clinical implication of molecule inhibitors that have been shown to possess activity against the Wnt pathway in association with conventional surgical and loco-regional therapies are reviewed.

The Emerging Role of Hedgehog Signaling in Viral Infections

The hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway is one of the key pathways that is indispensable for many developmental processes and postnatal tissue homeostasis. Dysregulated HH signaling could lead to developmental disorders and tumorigenesis in a variety of tissues via inherited or sporadic mutation, gene overexpression, and crosstalk with other signaling pathways. Recently, accumulating evidence has shown that HH signaling is targeted by viruses to facilitate viral transcription, immune evasion, and uncontrolled growth, leading to effective viral replication and pathogenesis. In this study, we will summarize recent advances in functional interaction between HH signaling and different types of viruses, particularly focusing on the pathological role of HH signaling in viral infections and related diseases.