Role of a New Polyomavirus in Merkel Cell Carcinoma

University Of Pittsburgh At Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA

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Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This renewal supports investigation into the newest human cancer virus causing most Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). We found Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV or MCPyV) in 2008 by digital transcriptome subtraction as a clonally integrated infection of MCC. It is the seventh human cancer virus and the second discovered by our group (in addition to Kaposi's sarcoma Herpes virus, KSHV or HHV8). Our initial grant was highly successful, with over 35 studies published on MCV mRNA and protein expression patterns, MCV replication, cellular partners to MCV proteins, viral oncoprotein knockdown and diagnostic assays to determine MCV infection. Taken together, these studies show that MCV is the infectious cause for most MCC. These findings also led directly to new methods to diagnose and treat MCC (ECOG clinical trial 2612). In just five years, this research has radically improved prospects for diagnosis and treatment of this intractable cancer. As a new cancer virus, MCV can be exploited to uncover new etiologic cancer pathways. We find that an MCV oncoprotein, small T (sT) antigen, targets cellular protein regulation to activate both viral and cellular oncoproteins. It is a new viral reagent that now can be used to investigate how epigenetic protein translation contributes to cancer cell proliferation. The aims of our renewal are: 1) to identify and characterize phosphodegron regulation of MCV large T (LT) and cellular oncoproteins, 2) to understand how MCV inactivates 4E-BP1, leading to dysregulated cap-dependent translation and cell transformation, 3) to identify the cellular oncogenic pathways that are activated by MCV and 4) to examine a transgenic mouse model for MCV-induced tumorigenesis. This proposal characterizes novel molecular mechanisms used by MCV to drive cancer cell proliferation and then applies these findings at the organismal level. These investigations will shed light on epigenetic cancer cell signaling and may speed development and testing of new cancer therapies.