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EBV Infection and Its Regulated Metabolic Reprogramming in Nasopharyngeal Tumorigenesis

Tingting Yang1, Chanping You2, Shuhui Meng3

  • 1Department of Pharmacy, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen, China.

Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
|July 18, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection reprograms host cell metabolism via viral oncogenes like LMP1/2 and miR-BARTs. This metabolic shift fuels nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) development, offering potential therapeutic targets for EBV-associated cancers.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular biology
  • Oncology
  • Virology
  • Metabolic pathways

Background:

  • Viral oncogenes can induce cellular metabolic reprogramming, crucial for malignant transformation.
  • Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, particularly latent EBV, is linked to nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).
  • Key EBV oncoproteins, including latent membrane proteins 1 and 2 (LMP1/2) and EBV-encoded BamH I-A rightward transcripts (BART) microRNAs (miR-BARTs), are implicated in altering host cell metabolism.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the mechanisms by which EBV infection and its oncogenes mediate metabolic reprogramming in host cells.
  • To understand the role of EBV-induced metabolic alterations in the pathogenesis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).
  • To explore potential therapeutic strategies targeting metabolic pathways in EBV-associated malignancies.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on EBV, oncogenes, and cellular metabolism.
  • Analysis of signaling transduction pathways dysregulated by viral oncogenes.
  • Focus on metabolic shifts induced by EBV oncoproteins (LMP1/2, miR-BARTs) in NPC pathogenesis.

Main Results:

  • EBV infection significantly alters host cell metabolism through its oncogenes.
  • Specific viral oncoproteins (LMP1/2, miR-BARTs) play critical roles in driving these metabolic changes.
  • Metabolic reprogramming supports the malignant transformation and progression of NPC.

Conclusions:

  • EBV-driven metabolic reprogramming is a key factor in NPC development.
  • Understanding these metabolic alterations provides insights into virus-associated cancer pathogenesis.
  • Targeting EBV-induced metabolic pathways presents a promising therapeutic avenue for EBV-associated cancers.
Keywords:
EBV infectionNPC pathogenesismetabolic reprogrammingnasopharyngeal carcinomatherapeutic strategies

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