Herpesvirus Epigenetic Reprogramming and Oncogenesis
Yonggang Pei1, Josiah Hiu-Yuen Wong1, Erle S Robertson1
1Departments of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Microbiology, Tumor Virology Program, Abramson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA;
Abstract:
Among all of the known biological carcinogens, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) are two of the classical oncogenic herpesviruses known to induce the oncogenic phenotype. Many studies have revealed important functions related to epigenetic alterations of the EBV and KSHV genomes that mediate oncogenesis, but the detailed mechanisms are not fully understood. It is also challenging to fully describe the critical cellular events that drive oncogenesis as well as a comprehensive map of the molecular contributors. This review introduces the roles of epigenetic modifications of these viral genomes, including DNA methylation, histone modification, chromatin remodeling, and noncoding RNA expression, and elucidates potential strategies utilized for inducing oncogenesis by these human gammaherpesviruses.
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