Viruses and cancer Flashcards
The Rb pathway (simplified)
Rb binds E2F, and also SW1 and HDAC.
Cyclin D and Cdk4 phosphorylate Rb, making the Rb E2F complex able to stimulate transcription of cyclin E.
Cyclin E hyperphosphorylates Rb, leading to its disassociation from E2F. E2F can then proceed to stimulate transcription at many promoters.
Extrinsic pathway of apoptosis
Death receptors activate death domains which cleave caspase 8/10. These cleave both Bid (which activates Bax, the mitochondrial pathway) and also caspase 3. Caspase 3 acts to cleave DNA and protein, causing apoptosis.
Intrinsic pathway of apoptosis
Start with Bax and Bak forming channels for cyt C release. Cytochrome C activates caspase 9.
Stimulated by extrinsic pathway and p53 activity.
Inhibited by growth factor signalling.
p53 stimulation of apoptosis
p53 is sequestered by mdm2. Proapoptotic signals lead to dissociation of this, and its stimulating action on BH3 only proteins.
These stimulate Bax and Bak channel formation.
growth factor inhibition of apoptosis.
Growth factors activate Bcl2 proteins via Ras, PI3K and Akt. Bcl2 proteins inhibit cyt C release.
Cell cycle (simple)
G0 = resting. –> G1 (checkpoint) –> G1 phase –> G1/S checkpoint –> S phase –> G2 phase –> G2/M checkpoint –> M phase –> G0.
Discuss viral modulations of the cell cycle
Draw the cell cycle
Different checkpoints
Consider specific viruses
Why don’t all oncogenic virus infections cause cancer?
Different checkpoints in the cell cycle
G1 control of growth. Does not provide substrates for replication.
G1-S transition - if DNA replication ability is needed. Consider Rb and p53.
Mitotic spindle assembly checkpoint.
G1 checkpoint
Mostly growth factors for control.
G1/S transition
Rb drives, p53 halts.
Rb: bind this, or regulate cyclins.
p53: target this, or downstream.
Mitosis checkpoint
MDC1 for DNA damage.
Various for spindle assembly.
Specific oncogenic viral proteins I should know about
Tax and HBZ
E6 and E7
HTLV causing neoplasia
Primary transforming gene is Tax
HBz also important
Importance of driving cellular proliferation.
HBV causing neoplasia
Liver damage: hypothesis is that immune response is initiated with antigen-specific responses, but as these are ineffective, non-specific responses begin to cause damage.
Viral integration and insertional mutagenesis.
Hbx role not unequivocally demonstrated.
HCV causing neoplasia
Mostly immune damage, but may have proteins hitting usual pathways.
EBV causing neoplasia
BL
NPC
EBV - BL
Underactive immune response, expression of latency pattern 1, inhibits apoptosis by LMP1/2, defined by myc relocation.
EBV NPC
Ethnicity contributes to low-grade pre-cancerous lesion
EBV infections with LMP1 and 2, telomerase activation and etc high grade pre-cancerous lesion.
Environmental factors other genetic changes, metastasis.
Evidence for role of viruses
- RSV
- HTLV – clonal expansion
- EBV
- Increased incidence in immunosuppression
EBV - evidence for role of viruses in cancers.
o Seroepidemiology
o Presence of viral DNA
o In vitro protein experiments
o Transgenic virus experiments.
Tax
Transcription
Activity
Downregulation
Tax activity
Degradation of IKK.
Activation of Akt.
Activation of Akt and NFkB promote cellular survival.
Reported to alter redox status of cells.
Tax - degradation of IKK
So nuclear localization of NFkB-RELB-p52 and RELA-p50 complexes.
Tax - PI3K
Activates PI3K makes PIP2, increases amount of PIP3, activates Akt.
HBz activity
Protein
RNA
HBz activity protein
Binds CREB2, which inhibits Tax-mediated transactivation.
Modulates activity of AP1 transcription.