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Updated: Jan 11, 2026
09:49
Oncogenic Gene Fusion Detection Using Anchored Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction Followed by Next Generation Sequencing
Published on: July 5, 2019
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Virus-mediated gene fusion: igniting and sustaining oncogenesis
1Laboratory of Cellular Oncology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Trends in Cancer
|November 9, 2025
Summary
Human papillomavirus (HPV) integration causes genome instability. Khan and colleagues found HPV-driven FGFR3-TACC3 fusions in oropharyngeal cancer, revealing a new mechanism for virus-induced tumorigenesis.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Virology
- Genetics
Background:
- Human papillomavirus (HPV) integration into the host genome is a known driver of genomic instability.
- This integration can lead to structural variants and has been implicated in various cancers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To thoroughly characterize a specific HPV-induced gene fusion.
- To investigate the role of this fusion in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) pathogenesis.
- To explore the interplay between viral oncoproteins and host genetic alterations.
Main Methods:
- Recurrent gene fusion analysis in OPSCC samples.
- Characterization of the FGFR3-TACC3 fusion event.
- Investigation of the functional role of HPV E6/E7 oncoproteins in transformation.
Main Results:
- A recurrent FGFR3-TACC3 fusion, driven by HPV integration, was identified in OPSCC.
- Synergistic interplay between the FGFR3-TACC3 fusion and HPV E6/E7 oncoproteins was observed.
- These factors are required for cellular transformation.
Conclusions:
- HPV integration can directly cause oncogenic gene fusions, contributing to tumorigenesis.
- The FGFR3-TACC3 fusion represents a novel mechanism by which HPV drives cancer development.
- Targeting these viral integration-induced alterations offers a potential therapeutic strategy for OPSCC.
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