Human endogenous retroviral K element encodes fusogenic activity in melanoma cells
Introduction and Hypothesis: Nuclear atypia with features of multi nuclei have been detected in human melanoma specimens. We found that the K type human endogenous retroviral element (HERV K) is expressed in such cells. Since cellular syncytia can form when cells are infected with retroviruses, we h...
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doaj-d1ff1c1efc484e5a9a665da1b4f2b9da2020-11-24T22:46:59ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Carcinogenesis1477-31632013-01-011215510.4103/1477-3163.109032Human endogenous retroviral K element encodes fusogenic activity in melanoma cellsGengming HuangZhongwu LiXiaohua WanYue WangJianli DongIntroduction and Hypothesis: Nuclear atypia with features of multi nuclei have been detected in human melanoma specimens. We found that the K type human endogenous retroviral element (HERV K) is expressed in such cells. Since cellular syncytia can form when cells are infected with retroviruses, we hypothesized that HERV K expressed in melanoma cells may contribute to the formation of multinuclear atypia cells in melanoma. Experiments and Results: We specifically inhibited HERV K expression using RNA interference (RNAi) and monoclonal antibodies and observed dramatic reduction of intercellular fusion of cultured melanoma cells. Importantly, we identified loss of heterozygosity (LOH)of D19S433 in a cell clone that survived and proliferated after cell fusion. Conclusion: Our results support the notion that proteins encoded by HERV K can mediate intercellular fusion of melanoma cells, which may generate multinuclear cells and drive the evolution of genetic changes that provide growth and survival advantages.http://www.carcinogenesis.com/article.asp?issn=1477-3163;year=2013;volume=12;issue=1;spage=5;epage=5;aulast=HuangCell fusionK-type human endogenous retroviral deoxyribonucleic acidmelanoma |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Gengming Huang Zhongwu Li Xiaohua Wan Yue Wang Jianli Dong |
spellingShingle |
Gengming Huang Zhongwu Li Xiaohua Wan Yue Wang Jianli Dong Human endogenous retroviral K element encodes fusogenic activity in melanoma cells Journal of Carcinogenesis Cell fusion K-type human endogenous retroviral deoxyribonucleic acid melanoma |
author_facet |
Gengming Huang Zhongwu Li Xiaohua Wan Yue Wang Jianli Dong |
author_sort |
Gengming Huang |
title |
Human endogenous retroviral K element encodes fusogenic activity in melanoma cells |
title_short |
Human endogenous retroviral K element encodes fusogenic activity in melanoma cells |
title_full |
Human endogenous retroviral K element encodes fusogenic activity in melanoma cells |
title_fullStr |
Human endogenous retroviral K element encodes fusogenic activity in melanoma cells |
title_full_unstemmed |
Human endogenous retroviral K element encodes fusogenic activity in melanoma cells |
title_sort |
human endogenous retroviral k element encodes fusogenic activity in melanoma cells |
publisher |
Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
series |
Journal of Carcinogenesis |
issn |
1477-3163 |
publishDate |
2013-01-01 |
description |
Introduction and Hypothesis: Nuclear atypia with features of multi nuclei have been detected in human melanoma specimens. We found that the K type human endogenous retroviral element (HERV K) is expressed in such cells. Since cellular syncytia can form when cells are infected with retroviruses, we hypothesized that HERV K expressed in melanoma cells may contribute to the formation of multinuclear atypia cells in melanoma. Experiments and Results: We specifically inhibited HERV K expression using RNA interference (RNAi) and monoclonal antibodies and observed dramatic reduction of intercellular fusion of cultured melanoma cells. Importantly, we identified loss of heterozygosity (LOH)of D19S433 in a cell clone that survived and proliferated after cell fusion. Conclusion: Our results support the notion that proteins encoded by HERV K can mediate intercellular fusion of melanoma cells, which may generate multinuclear cells and drive the evolution of genetic changes that provide growth and survival advantages. |
topic |
Cell fusion K-type human endogenous retroviral deoxyribonucleic acid melanoma |
url |
http://www.carcinogenesis.com/article.asp?issn=1477-3163;year=2013;volume=12;issue=1;spage=5;epage=5;aulast=Huang |
work_keys_str_mv |
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