Oncogenic Epstein-Barr virus recruits Nm23-H1 to regulate chromatin modifiers

In cancer progression, metastasis is a major cause of poor survival of patients and can be targeted for therapeutic interventions. The first discovered metastatic-suppressor Nm23-H1 possesses nucleoside diphosphate kinase, histidine kinase, and DNase activity as a broad-spectrum enzyme. Recent advances in cancer metastasis have opened new ways for the development of therapeutic molecular approaches. In this review, we provide a summary of the current understanding of Nm23/NDPKs in the context of viral oncogenesis. We also focused on Nm23-H1-mediated cellular events with an emphasis on chromatin modifications. How Nm23-H1 modulates the activities of chromatin modifiers through interaction with Epstein-Barr virus-encoded oncogenic antigens and related crosstalks are discussed in the context of other oncogenic viruses. We also described the current understanding of the cellular and viral interactions of Nm23-H1 and their reference to transcription regulation and metastasis. Further, we summarized the recent therapeutic approaches targeting Nm23 and its potential links to pathways that can be exploited by oncogenic viruses.