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Oncoviruses: How do they hijack their host and current treatment regimes

Kainat Ahmed1, Sudhakar Jha1

  • 1Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.

Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta. Reviews on Cancer
|July 28, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Oncoviruses hijack host cells to promote cancer, contributing to 12% of global cancer cases. This review explores viral oncogenes, host cell manipulation, and emerging therapies for virus-induced malignancies.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Viruses can alter host cell functions, with some oncoviruses contributing to cancer development.
  • Viral infections are linked to approximately 12% of global cancer cases, often due to chronic inflammation and genomic instability.
  • Oncoviruses exploit host cellular machinery, dysregulating genes involved in normal cell growth.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the mechanisms by which oncoviruses induce cancer.
  • To discuss the role of viral oncogenes in targeting cell signaling pathways.
  • To examine current and emerging therapeutic strategies for virus-induced cancers.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of oncoviruses and cancer mechanisms.
  • Analysis of viral oncogene functions and host cell interactions.
  • Survey of approved and clinical trial therapies for oncovirus-related malignancies.

Main Results:

  • Oncoviruses utilize diverse strategies to manipulate host cells, driving tumorigenesis.
  • Viral genome integration can lead to genomic instability and oncogene activation.
  • Key cell signaling pathways are frequently targeted by viral oncogenes.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding oncovirus-host interactions is crucial for developing effective cancer treatments.
  • Targeting viral oncogenes and host pathways offers therapeutic potential.
  • Further research into oncovirus biology can improve prevention and treatment of virus-induced cancers.

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