Scientists Discover how viruses trigger cancer initiation
Findings from a recent study reveal that viruses play a significant role in causing between 10 to 20 percent of cancers globally, highlighting the broad implications of viral infections on the development of cancer.
Researchers have identified viral infections as a key factor in a substantial portion of cancer cases worldwide, shedding light on the significant impact of viruses on the global burden of cancer.
A recent breakthrough in understanding how viruses contribute to cancer has been made by scientists from the Cleveland Clinic. They uncovered a mechanism used by the Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) to induce cancer.
The lead author of the study, Jun Zhao from the Cleveland Clinic Florida Research and Innovation Center, emphasized the significance of the findings in a news release, stating, “Understanding how pathogens transform a healthy cell into a cancer cell reveals vulnerabilities that can be targeted with existing drugs to effectively treat virus-related malignancies.”
Kaposi Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus
Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, also known as human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8), is a virus that causes rare cancers such as Kaposi sarcoma and certain types of lymphoma, as explained by The National Cancer Institute.
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The news release highlights that Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus can lay dormant in the body after initial infection and remains asymptomatic until the immune system is weakened. In high-risk groups with compromised immune systems, the reactivated virus can lead to aggressive cancers.
Cancer cells exploit the body’s metabolism to grow and spread rapidly. Most viruses lack the ability to produce their own energy and molecules, relying on host cells for replication. However, the KSHV virus was found to manipulate two host proteins (CDK6 and CAD), accelerating virus replication and uncontrolled cell multiplication and spread.
The news release also notes that KSHV-induced cancers are challenging to treat and have a high mortality rate. The virus is prevalent in certain populations, with estimates ranging from 10 percent in North America and Northern Europe to 50 percent in Africa.
Viruses and Cancer
Aside from KSHV, various viruses are known to be linked to human cancers. According to the American Cancer Society, the following viruses can cause cancer in humans:
- Human papillomaviruses
- Epstein-Barr virus
- Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus
- Human immunodeficiency virus
- Human T-lymphotropic virus-1
- Merkel cell polyomavirus
The American Society of Microbiology explains that human tumor viruses infect host cells without causing cell death, allowing them to establish ongoing infections and promote cancer development.
The research team’s discovery about using Palbociclib, an FDA-approved breast cancer drug, in combination with a compound that inhibits CDK6 and CAD showed promising results in reducing tumor size and improving cancer survival rates in preclinical models. According to the news release, the treatment led to a significant decrease in tumor size, with some tumors disappearing completely and others shrinking by 80%.
Future Impact
The study’s findings may lead to new treatment options for KSHV-associated cancers, such as Kaposi’s sarcoma and primary effusion lymphoma. These findings could potentially extend to other virus-related cancers that operate through similar mechanisms.
In terms of the implications for the future, Mr. Zhao anticipates that understanding the metabolic rewiring mechanisms used by viruses and cancer cells could reveal new targets for treatment. He expresses excitement about the potential of this research to uncover vulnerabilities in cancer-causing viruses and non-viral cancers.
