Hamster Polyomavirus Research: Past, Present, and Future
Hamster polyomavirus (Mesocricetus auratus polyomavirus 1, HaPyV) was discovered as one of the first rodent polyomaviruses at the end of the 1960s in a colony of Syrian hamsters (<i>Mesocricetus auratus</i>) affected by skin tumors. Natural HaPyV infections have been recorded in Syrian h...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/5/907 |
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| author | Burkhard Jandrig Hans Krause Wolfgang Zimmermann Emilija Vasiliunaite Alma Gedvilaite Rainer G. Ulrich |
| author_facet | Burkhard Jandrig Hans Krause Wolfgang Zimmermann Emilija Vasiliunaite Alma Gedvilaite Rainer G. Ulrich |
| author_sort | Burkhard Jandrig |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Hamster polyomavirus (Mesocricetus auratus polyomavirus 1, HaPyV) was discovered as one of the first rodent polyomaviruses at the end of the 1960s in a colony of Syrian hamsters (<i>Mesocricetus auratus</i>) affected by skin tumors. Natural HaPyV infections have been recorded in Syrian hamster colonies due to the occurrence of skin tumors and lymphomas. HaPyV infections of Syrian hamsters represent an important and pioneering tumor model. Experimental infections of Syrian hamsters of different colonies are still serving as model systems (e.g., mesothelioma). The observed phylogenetic relationship of HaPyV to murine polyomaviruses within the genus <i>Alphapolyomavirus,</i> and the exclusive detection of other cricetid polyomaviruses, i.e., common vole (Microtus arvalis polyomavirus 1) and bank vole (Myodes glareolus polyomavirus 1) polyomaviruses, in the genus <i>Betapolyomavirus</i>, must be considered with caution, as knowledge of rodent-associated polyomaviruses is still limited. The genome of HaPyV shows the typical organization of polyomaviruses with an early and a late transcriptional region. The early region encodes three tumor (T) antigens including a middle T antigen; the late region encodes three capsid proteins. The major capsid protein VP1 of HaPyV was established as a carrier for the generation of autologous, chimeric, and mosaic virus-like particles (VLPs) with a broad range of applications, e.g., for the production of epitope-specific antibodies. Autologous VLPs have been applied for entry and maturation studies of dendritic cells. The generation of chimeric and mosaic VLPs indicated the high flexibility of the VP1 carrier protein for the insertion of foreign sequences. The generation of pseudotype VLPs of original VP1 and VP2–foreign protein fusion can further enhance the applicability of this system. Future investigations should evaluate the evolutionary origin of HaPyV, monitor its occurrence in wildlife and Syrian hamster breeding, and prove its value for the generation of potential vaccine candidates and as a gene therapy vehicle. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:25:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1319f91824694ee0a7b423eee0b92c18 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:25:29Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-1319f91824694ee0a7b423eee0b92c182023-11-21T19:39:03ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152021-05-0113590710.3390/v13050907Hamster Polyomavirus Research: Past, Present, and FutureBurkhard Jandrig0Hans Krause1Wolfgang Zimmermann2Emilija Vasiliunaite3Alma Gedvilaite4Rainer G. Ulrich5Department of Urology, University Medical Center Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, GermanyCharité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Urologische Klinik, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, GermanyLGC Genomics, BU Sequencing, Ostendstr. 25, 12459 Berlin, GermanyInstitute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio al. 7, LT-10257 Vilnius, LithuaniaInstitute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio al. 7, LT-10257 Vilnius, LithuaniaInstitute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, GermanyHamster polyomavirus (Mesocricetus auratus polyomavirus 1, HaPyV) was discovered as one of the first rodent polyomaviruses at the end of the 1960s in a colony of Syrian hamsters (<i>Mesocricetus auratus</i>) affected by skin tumors. Natural HaPyV infections have been recorded in Syrian hamster colonies due to the occurrence of skin tumors and lymphomas. HaPyV infections of Syrian hamsters represent an important and pioneering tumor model. Experimental infections of Syrian hamsters of different colonies are still serving as model systems (e.g., mesothelioma). The observed phylogenetic relationship of HaPyV to murine polyomaviruses within the genus <i>Alphapolyomavirus,</i> and the exclusive detection of other cricetid polyomaviruses, i.e., common vole (Microtus arvalis polyomavirus 1) and bank vole (Myodes glareolus polyomavirus 1) polyomaviruses, in the genus <i>Betapolyomavirus</i>, must be considered with caution, as knowledge of rodent-associated polyomaviruses is still limited. The genome of HaPyV shows the typical organization of polyomaviruses with an early and a late transcriptional region. The early region encodes three tumor (T) antigens including a middle T antigen; the late region encodes three capsid proteins. The major capsid protein VP1 of HaPyV was established as a carrier for the generation of autologous, chimeric, and mosaic virus-like particles (VLPs) with a broad range of applications, e.g., for the production of epitope-specific antibodies. Autologous VLPs have been applied for entry and maturation studies of dendritic cells. The generation of chimeric and mosaic VLPs indicated the high flexibility of the VP1 carrier protein for the insertion of foreign sequences. The generation of pseudotype VLPs of original VP1 and VP2–foreign protein fusion can further enhance the applicability of this system. Future investigations should evaluate the evolutionary origin of HaPyV, monitor its occurrence in wildlife and Syrian hamster breeding, and prove its value for the generation of potential vaccine candidates and as a gene therapy vehicle.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/5/907rodent polyomavirusesvirus discoverySyrian hamstergenome organizationmiddle T antigentumor model |
| spellingShingle | Burkhard Jandrig Hans Krause Wolfgang Zimmermann Emilija Vasiliunaite Alma Gedvilaite Rainer G. Ulrich Hamster Polyomavirus Research: Past, Present, and Future Viruses rodent polyomaviruses virus discovery Syrian hamster genome organization middle T antigen tumor model |
| title | Hamster Polyomavirus Research: Past, Present, and Future |
| title_full | Hamster Polyomavirus Research: Past, Present, and Future |
| title_fullStr | Hamster Polyomavirus Research: Past, Present, and Future |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hamster Polyomavirus Research: Past, Present, and Future |
| title_short | Hamster Polyomavirus Research: Past, Present, and Future |
| title_sort | hamster polyomavirus research past present and future |
| topic | rodent polyomaviruses virus discovery Syrian hamster genome organization middle T antigen tumor model |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/5/907 |
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