Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 11, 2026

MicroRNA-based Regulation of Picornavirus Tropism
09:05

MicroRNA-based Regulation of Picornavirus Tropism

Published on: February 6, 2017

The p53-microRNA-34a axis regulates cellular entry receptors for tumor-associated human herpes viruses

Alexander V Kofman1, Christopher Letson, Evan Dupart

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.

Medical Hypotheses
|May 7, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Human cytomegalovirus DNA is often found in tumors. The p53-microRNA-34a pathway may influence viral infection and cancer development, impacting cellular susceptibility to oncogenic viruses.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Virology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) DNA and gene products are frequently detected in various tumors, particularly brain tumors, compared to normal tissues.
  • The tropism of HCMV to tumor cells and the role of host genetics in virus-associated oncogenesis remain poorly understood.
  • The reasons for HCMV detection in some, but not all, tumor specimens are unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential role of microRNA-34a in the replication of human DNA viruses found in tumors.
  • To explore the association between the p53-microRNA-34a axis and cellular susceptibility to oncogenic viral infections.

Main Methods:

  • In silico prediction analysis to identify microRNA-34a targets.
  • Examination of microRNA-34a's interaction with genes encoding cellular entry receptors for human DNA viruses.
  • Consideration of the p53-microRNA-34a axis in the context of cancer mutations.

Main Results:

  • In silico predictions suggest microRNA-34a targets genes for platelet-derived growth factor receptor-alpha, complement component receptor 2, herpes simplex virus entry mediators, and CD46.
  • These targeted surface molecules function as cellular entry receptors for multiple human DNA viruses linked to malignancies.
  • The p53-microRNA-34a axis, often mutated or downregulated in cancers, is hypothesized to influence viral infection susceptibility.

Conclusions:

  • The p53-microRNA-34a pathway may play a role in regulating cellular susceptibility to infection by specific DNA viruses found in tumors.
  • This pathway could be a critical factor in understanding virus-associated oncogenesis and the presence of viruses in malignant tissues.
  • Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise mechanisms linking this axis, viral infections, and cancer development.

More Related Videos

siRNA Electroporation to Modulate Autophagy in Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1-Infected Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells09:10

siRNA Electroporation to Modulate Autophagy in Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1-Infected Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells

Published on: October 28, 2019

CRISPR Gene Editing Tool for MicroRNA Cluster Network Analysis10:40

CRISPR Gene Editing Tool for MicroRNA Cluster Network Analysis

Published on: April 25, 2022

Related Concept Videos

Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the daughter...
MicroRNAs01:22

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns (non-coding regions of a gene) or intergenic regions (stretches of DNA present between genes). Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself, forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA...
MicroRNAs01:22

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns—non-coding regions of a gene—or intergenic regions—stretches of DNA present between genes. Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA ends...
Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers01:51

Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers

Retroviruses are RNA viruses that have been shown to cause cancers in diverse species, including chickens, mice, cats, and monkeys. The RNA genomes of these viruses are first reverse-transcribed into single and then double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) copies. This dsDNA called proviral DNA then integrates into the host genome. Subsequently, the host cell transcribes the proviral DNA in concert with the chromosomal DNA. This leads to the production of viral RNA and proteins that assemble at the host...
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
Negative Regulator Molecules01:23

Negative Regulator Molecules

Positive regulators allow a cell to advance through cell cycle checkpoints. Negative regulators have an equally important role as they terminate a cell’s progression through the cell cycle—or pause it—until the cell meets specific criteria.