Project description:Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) Tax is a transcriptional activator of viral replication and a key contributor to oncogenic potential. We previously identified interesting mutant forms of Tax with elevated (TaxD247G) or reduced (TaxS240P) transactivation effects on BLV replication and propagation. In this study, to identify genes that play a role in the cascade of signal events regulated by wild-type and mutant Tax proteins, we used a large-scale host cell gene-profiling approach. HeLa cells transiently transfected with the pCAGGS vector for the control sample was compared with HeLa cells transiently transfected with the pCAGGS-Tax-FLAG vector. These cells were incubated for 30h after transfection and total RNA was isolated.
Project description:Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) Tax is a transcriptional activator of viral replication and a key contributor to oncogenic potential. We previously identified interesting mutant forms of Tax with elevated (TaxD247G) or reduced (TaxS240P) transactivation effects on BLV replication and propagation. In this study, to identify genes that play a role in the cascade of signal events regulated by wild-type and mutant Tax proteins, we used a large-scale host cell gene-profiling approach.
Project description:Human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) Tax is potent activator of viral and cellular gene expression that interacts with a number of cellular proteins. In this study, a large-scale host cell signaling events related to cellular proliferation were used to identify genes involved in Tax-mediated cell signaling events related to cellular proliferation and apoptosis. HeLa cell transiently transfected with with pCAGGS vector for control sample was compared with HeLa cell transiently transfected with with pCAGGS-Tax-FLAG vector. These cells were incubated for 30h after transfection and were used for total RNA isolation.
Project description:Bovine Leukemia Virus (BLV)-induced tumoral development is a multifactorial phenomenon which remains incompletely understood. Here, we highlight the critical role of the cellular CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) both in the regulation of BLV transcriptional activities and in the deregulation of the three-dimensional (3D) chromatin architecture surrounding the BLV integration site. We demonstrated the in vivo recruitment of CTCF to three conserved CTCF binding motifs along the BLV provirus. Next, we showed the localization of CTCF to transitions in the histone modifications profile along BLV genome as well as its implication in the repression the 5’Long Terminal Repeat (LTR) promoter activity, thereby contributing to viral latency, while favoring the 3’LTR promoter activity. Finally, we demonstrated that BLV integration deregulated host cellular 3D chromatin organization through the formation of viral/host chromatin loops. Altogether, our results highlight CTCF as a new critical effector of BLV transcriptional regulation and BLV-induced physiopathology.
Project description:Bovine Leukemia Virus (BLV)-induced tumoral development is a multifactorial phenomenon which remains incompletely understood. Here, we highlight the critical role of the cellular CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) both in the regulation of BLV transcriptional activities and in the deregulation of the three-dimensional (3D) chromatin architecture surrounding the BLV integration site. We demonstrated the in vivo recruitment of CTCF to three conserved CTCF binding motifs along the BLV provirus. Next, we showed the localization of CTCF to transitions in the histone modifications profile along BLV genome as well as its implication in the repression the 5’Long Terminal Repeat (LTR) promoter activity, thereby contributing to viral latency, while favoring the 3’LTR promoter activity. Finally, we demonstrated that BLV integration deregulated host cellular 3D chromatin organization through the formation of viral/host chromatin loops. Altogether, our results highlight CTCF as a new critical effector of BLV transcriptional regulation and BLV-induced physiopathology.
Project description:Viral tumor models have significantly contributed to our understanding of oncogenic mechanisms. How transforming delta-retroviruses induce malignancy however remains poorly understood, especially as viral mRNA/protein are tightly silenced in tumors. Here, using deep sequencing of broad windows of small RNA sizes in the Bovine Leukemia Virus ovine model of leukemia/lymphoma, we provide evidence of the production of non-canonical Pol III-transcribed viral microRNAs in leukemic B-cells in the complete absence of Pol II 5' LTR-driven transcriptional activity. Processed from a cluster of five independent self-sufficient transcriptional units located in a proviral region dispensable for in vivo infectivity, BLV microRNAs represent ~ 40 % of all microRNAs in both experimental and natural malignancy. They are conserved across tumors and associate with Argonautes, consistent with a critical function in silencing of important cellular and/or viral targets. BLV microRNAs are strongly expressed at pre-leukemic stages and remain at high levels in malignant cells despite the absence of structural and regulatory gene expression, suggesting a key role in tumor onset and progression. Identification of small RNA populations in BLV-induced leukemia
Project description:Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is linked to the development of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) and the neuroinflammatory disease, HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). The HTLV-1 Tax oncoprotein regulates viral gene expression and the NF-kB pathway to promote the survival of HTLV-1 infected T cells. In thsi study, we utilize a kinome-wide shRNA screen to identify the tyrosine kinase KDR/VEGFR2 as an essential survival factor of HTLV-1-transformed T cells. Inhibition of KDR induces apoptosis of Tax expressing HTLV-1-transformed cell lines and CD4+ T cells from HAM/TSP patients. Phosphoproteomics analysis of HTLV-1 transformed cells treated with a KDR inhibitor revealed inhibition of the phosphorylation of multiple receptors/cell surface proteins, ubiquitin conjugating systems, proteases, phosphatases, apoptotic regulatory factors, adhesion/extracellular matrix proteins and viral proteins. This work suggests that HTLV-1 Tax has hijacked KDR kinase activity to promote Tax stability and the proliferation and survival of HTLV-1 infected cells.
Project description:Viral tumor models have significantly contributed to our understanding of oncogenic mechanisms. How transforming delta-retroviruses induce malignancy however remains poorly understood, especially as viral mRNA/protein are tightly silenced in tumors. Here, using deep sequencing of broad windows of small RNA sizes in the Bovine Leukemia Virus ovine model of leukemia/lymphoma, we provide evidence of the production of non-canonical Pol III-transcribed viral microRNAs in leukemic B-cells in the complete absence of Pol II 5' LTR-driven transcriptional activity. Processed from a cluster of five independent self-sufficient transcriptional units located in a proviral region dispensable for in vivo infectivity, BLV microRNAs represent ~ 40 % of all microRNAs in both experimental and natural malignancy. They are conserved across tumors and associate with Argonautes, consistent with a critical function in silencing of important cellular and/or viral targets. BLV microRNAs are strongly expressed at pre-leukemic stages and remain at high levels in malignant cells despite the absence of structural and regulatory gene expression, suggesting a key role in tumor onset and progression.