The role of pioneering transcription factors, chromatin accessibility and epigenetic reprogramming in oncogenic

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Author Spotlight: Reprogramming Cancer Cells to iPSCs to Study Disease Progression and Treatment Targets
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Author Spotlight: Reprogramming Cancer Cells to iPSCs to Study Disease Progression and Treatment Targets

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Mankgopo Kgatle1,2,3, Saidon Mbambara1,2,4, Leon Khoza1,2

  • 1Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Pretoria and Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Pretoria, South Africa.

Frontiers in Microbiology
|July 1, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Oncogenic viruses drive cancer by altering host gene expression and DNA repair. Understanding these viral oncogenesis mechanisms is key for developing new cancer therapies and diagnostics.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Virology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Epigenetics

Background:

  • Oncogenic viruses manipulate host cellular machinery to promote cancer development.
  • These viruses utilize transcription factors, alter chromatin accessibility, and induce epigenetic reprogramming.
  • Key viruses implicated include HBV, HCV, HPV, HTLV-1, EBV, HHV-8, and MCV.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To comprehensively review the mechanisms by which oncogenic viruses contribute to cancer.
  • To highlight the therapeutic relevance of understanding viral oncogenesis.
  • To synthesize current knowledge and guide future research in viral oncology.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of existing research on viral oncogenesis.
  • Analysis of molecular and epigenetic mechanisms employed by oncogenic viruses.
  • Examination of the roles of specific viruses (HBV, HCV, HPV, HTLV-1, EBV, HHV-8, MCV) in tumorigenesis.

Main Results:

  • Oncogenic viruses exploit host transcription factors to drive uncontrolled proliferation.
  • Viral activity leads to altered chromatin accessibility, impaired DNA repair, and genome integration.
  • Epigenetic reprogramming, including DNA methylation and histone modification, silences tumor suppressors and activates oncogenes.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding viral oncogenic mechanisms is crucial for developing targeted therapies and diagnostics.
  • Advances in this field can lead to innovative treatments and early cancer detection tools.
  • This review provides a foundation for further research into viral contributions to cancer.
Keywords:
DNA methylationEBVchromatin accessibilityepigeneticsepigenetics reprogrammingoncogenic virusespioneer transcription factors

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