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Identifying Dysregulated Genes Induced by Kaposi's Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus (KSHV)
07:02

Identifying Dysregulated Genes Induced by Kaposi's Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus (KSHV)

Published on: September 14, 2010

Human endogenous retroviral K element encodes fusogenic activity in melanoma cells

Gengming Huang1, Zhongwu Li, Xiaohua Wan

  • 1Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, USA ; Sealy Center for Cancer Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, USA.

Journal of Carcinogenesis
|April 20, 2013
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Human endogenous retroviruses (HERV K) proteins may drive melanoma cell fusion, creating multinuclear cells. Inhibiting HERV K reduced cell fusion, suggesting a role in melanoma progression and genetic changes.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Virology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Human melanoma exhibits nuclear atypia with multinucleated cells.
  • Expression of the human endogenous retroviral K element (HERV K) is detected in these atypical melanoma cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the hypothesis that HERV K expression contributes to the formation of multinucleated atypical cells in melanoma.
  • To explore the role of HERV K in melanoma cell fusion and subsequent genetic alterations.

Main Methods:

  • HERV K expression was inhibited using RNA interference (RNAi) and monoclonal antibodies.
  • Melanoma cell fusion was assessed in vitro.
  • Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) analysis was performed on surviving cell clones.

Main Results:

  • Specific inhibition of HERV K significantly reduced intercellular fusion of cultured melanoma cells.
  • A cell clone that survived and proliferated after fusion exhibited loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at the D19S433 locus.
  • These findings suggest HERV K proteins mediate melanoma cell fusion.

Conclusions:

  • HERV K proteins play a role in mediating intercellular fusion of melanoma cells.
  • This fusion process may lead to the generation of multinucleated cells and drive the evolution of genetic changes.
  • Such genetic changes could confer growth and survival advantages to melanoma cells, promoting disease progression.
Keywords:
Cell fusionK-type human endogenous retroviral deoxyribonucleic acidmelanoma

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