Human Endogenous Retrovirus K in the Crosstalk Between Cancer Cells Microenvironment and Plasticity: A New Perspective for Combination Therapy
Abnormal activation of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) has been associated with several diseases such as cancer, autoimmunity, and neurological disorders. In particular, in cancer HERV activity and expression have been specifically associated with tumor aggressiveness and patient outcomes. Can...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2018-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Microbiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2018.01448/full |
| _version_ | 1818908951119396864 |
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| author | Emanuela Balestrieri Ayele Argaw-Denboba Alessandra Gambacurta Chiara Cipriani Roberto Bei Annalucia Serafino Paola Sinibaldi-Vallebona Paola Sinibaldi-Vallebona Claudia Matteucci |
| author_facet | Emanuela Balestrieri Ayele Argaw-Denboba Alessandra Gambacurta Chiara Cipriani Roberto Bei Annalucia Serafino Paola Sinibaldi-Vallebona Paola Sinibaldi-Vallebona Claudia Matteucci |
| author_sort | Emanuela Balestrieri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abnormal activation of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) has been associated with several diseases such as cancer, autoimmunity, and neurological disorders. In particular, in cancer HERV activity and expression have been specifically associated with tumor aggressiveness and patient outcomes. Cancer cell aggressiveness is intimately linked to the acquisition of peculiar plasticity and heterogeneity based on cell stemness features, as well as on the crosstalk between cancer cells and the microenvironment. The latter is a driving factor in the acquisition of aggressive phenotypes, associated with metastasis and resistance to conventional cancer therapies. Remarkably, in different cell types and stages of development, HERV expression is mainly regulated by epigenetic mechanisms and is subjected to a very precise temporal and spatial regulation according to the surrounding microenvironment. Focusing on our research experience with HERV-K involvement in the aggressiveness and plasticity of melanoma cells, this perspective aims to highlight the role of HERV-K in the crosstalk between cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment. The implications for a combination therapy targeted at HERVs with standard approaches are discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T22:19:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b4142e2b3b4145968e76c5152ed93204 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-302X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T22:19:10Z |
| publishDate | 2018-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-b4142e2b3b4145968e76c5152ed932042022-12-21T20:03:41ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2018-07-01910.3389/fmicb.2018.01448369352Human Endogenous Retrovirus K in the Crosstalk Between Cancer Cells Microenvironment and Plasticity: A New Perspective for Combination TherapyEmanuela Balestrieri0Ayele Argaw-Denboba1Alessandra Gambacurta2Chiara Cipriani3Roberto Bei4Annalucia Serafino5Paola Sinibaldi-Vallebona6Paola Sinibaldi-Vallebona7Claudia Matteucci8Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, ItalyInstitute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, ItalyInstitute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, ItalyAbnormal activation of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) has been associated with several diseases such as cancer, autoimmunity, and neurological disorders. In particular, in cancer HERV activity and expression have been specifically associated with tumor aggressiveness and patient outcomes. Cancer cell aggressiveness is intimately linked to the acquisition of peculiar plasticity and heterogeneity based on cell stemness features, as well as on the crosstalk between cancer cells and the microenvironment. The latter is a driving factor in the acquisition of aggressive phenotypes, associated with metastasis and resistance to conventional cancer therapies. Remarkably, in different cell types and stages of development, HERV expression is mainly regulated by epigenetic mechanisms and is subjected to a very precise temporal and spatial regulation according to the surrounding microenvironment. Focusing on our research experience with HERV-K involvement in the aggressiveness and plasticity of melanoma cells, this perspective aims to highlight the role of HERV-K in the crosstalk between cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment. The implications for a combination therapy targeted at HERVs with standard approaches are discussed.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2018.01448/fullendogenous retrovirusescancer plasticitycancer therapycancer biomarkercombination therapyreprogramming |
| spellingShingle | Emanuela Balestrieri Ayele Argaw-Denboba Alessandra Gambacurta Chiara Cipriani Roberto Bei Annalucia Serafino Paola Sinibaldi-Vallebona Paola Sinibaldi-Vallebona Claudia Matteucci Human Endogenous Retrovirus K in the Crosstalk Between Cancer Cells Microenvironment and Plasticity: A New Perspective for Combination Therapy Frontiers in Microbiology endogenous retroviruses cancer plasticity cancer therapy cancer biomarker combination therapy reprogramming |
| title | Human Endogenous Retrovirus K in the Crosstalk Between Cancer Cells Microenvironment and Plasticity: A New Perspective for Combination Therapy |
| title_full | Human Endogenous Retrovirus K in the Crosstalk Between Cancer Cells Microenvironment and Plasticity: A New Perspective for Combination Therapy |
| title_fullStr | Human Endogenous Retrovirus K in the Crosstalk Between Cancer Cells Microenvironment and Plasticity: A New Perspective for Combination Therapy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Human Endogenous Retrovirus K in the Crosstalk Between Cancer Cells Microenvironment and Plasticity: A New Perspective for Combination Therapy |
| title_short | Human Endogenous Retrovirus K in the Crosstalk Between Cancer Cells Microenvironment and Plasticity: A New Perspective for Combination Therapy |
| title_sort | human endogenous retrovirus k in the crosstalk between cancer cells microenvironment and plasticity a new perspective for combination therapy |
| topic | endogenous retroviruses cancer plasticity cancer therapy cancer biomarker combination therapy reprogramming |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2018.01448/full |
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