Back to Search
Start Over
Merkel Cell Polyomavirus Downregulates N-myc Downstream-Regulated Gene 1, Leading to Cellular Proliferation and Migration
- Source :
- J Virol
- Publication Year :
- 2019
-
Abstract
- Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is the first human polyomavirus etiologically associated with Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer. Similar to other polyomaviruses, MCPyV encodes early T antigen genes, viral oncogenes required for MCC tumor growth. To identify the unique oncogenic properties of MCPyV, we analyzed the gene expression profiles in human spontaneously immortalized keratinocytes (NIKs) expressing the early genes from six distinct human polyomaviruses (PyVs), including MCPyV. A comparison of the gene expression profiles revealed 28 genes specifically deregulated by MCPyV. In particular, the MCPyV early gene downregulated the expression of the tumor suppressor gene N-myc downstream-regulated gene 1 (NDRG1) in MCPyV gene-expressing NIKs and hTERT-MCPyV gene-expressing human keratinocytes (HK) compared to their expression in the controls. In MCPyV-positive MCC cells, the expression of NDRG1 was downregulated by the MCPyV early gene, as T antigen knockdown rescued the level of NDRG1. In addition, NDRG1 overexpression in hTERT-MCPyV gene-expressing HK or MCC cells resulted in a decrease in the number of cells in S phase and cell proliferation inhibition. Moreover, a decrease in wound healing capacity in hTERT-MCPyV gene-expressing HK was observed. Further analysis revealed that NDRG1 exerts its biological effect in Merkel cell lines by regulating the expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) and cyclin D1 proteins. Overall, NDRG1 plays an important role in MCPyV-induced cellular proliferation. IMPORTANCE Merkel cell carcinoma was first described in 1972 as a neuroendocrine tumor of skin, most cases of which were reported in 2008 to be caused by a PyV named Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), the first PyV linked to human cancer. Thereafter, numerous studies have been conducted to understand the etiology of this virus-induced carcinogenesis. However, it is still a new field, and much work is needed to understand the molecular pathogenesis of MCC. In the current work, we sought to identify the host genes specifically deregulated by MCPyV, as opposed to other PyVs, in order to better understand the relevance of the genes analyzed on the biological impact and progression of the disease. These findings open newer avenues for targeted drug therapies, thereby providing hope for the management of patients suffering from this highly aggressive cancer.
- Subjects :
- Gene Expression Regulation, Viral
Keratinocytes
Skin Neoplasms
Tumor suppressor gene
Carcinogenesis
Immunology
Merkel cell polyomavirus
Down-Regulation
Cell Cycle Proteins
medicine.disease_cause
Microbiology
Cell Line
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Cyclin D1
Cell Movement
Virology
medicine
Humans
Antigens, Viral, Tumor
030304 developmental biology
Cell Proliferation
Skin
0303 health sciences
Gene knockdown
Polyomavirus Infections
biology
Merkel cell carcinoma
Cell growth
Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
biology.organism_classification
medicine.disease
Virus-Cell Interactions
Carcinoma, Merkel Cell
Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
Tumor Virus Infections
medicine.anatomical_structure
030220 oncology & carcinogenesis
Insect Science
Cancer research
Merkel cell
Transcriptome
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 10985514
- Volume :
- 94
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of virology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....1f48642720045e573df05f326b5de795