Department of Microbiology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, PR China.
Department of Gynecology, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, PR China.
Oncogene. 2020 Jun;39(23):4603-4618. doi: 10.1038/s41388-020-1317-1. Epub 2020 May 11.
Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) caused by oncogenic Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is a highly angiogenic and invasive vascular tumor and the most common AIDS-associated cancer. KSHV-encoded viral interleukin-6 (vIL-6) is implicated in the development of KSHV-induced malignancies; however, the mechanisms underlying vIL-6-induced angiogenesis and tumorigenesis remain undefined. Here, we show that vIL-6 promotes angiogenesis, cell proliferation, and invasion by downregulating caveolin 1 (CAV1) that plays a pivotal and versatile role in multiple cancer-associated processes. Mechanistically, vIL-6 signaling led to the phosphorylation and acetylation of STAT3 that targeted DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) in a sequential manner. Specifically, the vIL-6-induced phosphorylated form of STAT3 transcriptionally activated DNMT1 expression. Furthermore, vIL-6-induced acetylated form of STAT3 interacted with DNMT1 to form a transcription factor complex that bound to and methylated the CAV1 promoter, leading to CAV1 expression silencing. In fact, downregulation of CAV1 expression resulted in the activation of AKT signaling, promoting cell invasion, and growth transformation induced by KSHV. Finally, genetic deletion of vIL-6 from the KSHV genome abolished KSHV-induced cellular transformation and impaired angiogenesis. Our results reveal that vIL-6 epigenetically silences CAV1 expression to promote angiogenesis and tumorigenesis by regulating the formation of STAT3-DNMT1 complex. These novel findings define a mechanism by which KSHV inhibits the CAV1 pathway and establish the scientific basis for targeting this pathway to treat KSHV-associated cancers.
卡波西肉瘤(KS)是由致癌性卡波西肉瘤相关疱疹病毒(KSHV)引起的一种高度血管生成和侵袭性血管肿瘤,也是最常见的艾滋病相关癌症。KSHV 编码的病毒白细胞介素 6(vIL-6)被认为与 KSHV 诱导的恶性肿瘤的发展有关;然而,vIL-6 诱导的血管生成和肿瘤发生的机制尚不清楚。在这里,我们表明 vIL-6 通过下调在多种癌症相关过程中发挥关键和多功能作用的窖蛋白 1(CAV1),促进血管生成、细胞增殖和侵袭。在机制上,vIL-6 信号导致 STAT3 的磷酸化和乙酰化,依次靶向 DNA 甲基转移酶 1(DNMT1)。具体而言,vIL-6 诱导的 STAT3 磷酸化形式转录激活 DNMT1 的表达。此外,vIL-6 诱导的 STAT3 乙酰化形式与 DNMT1 相互作用形成转录因子复合物,该复合物结合并甲基化 CAV1 启动子,导致 CAV1 表达沉默。事实上,下调 CAV1 表达会导致 AKT 信号的激活,促进由 KSHV 诱导的细胞侵袭和生长转化。最后,从 KSHV 基因组中遗传缺失 vIL-6 可消除 KSHV 诱导的细胞转化并损害血管生成。我们的研究结果表明,vIL-6 通过调节 STAT3-DNMT1 复合物的形成,表观遗传沉默 CAV1 表达,从而促进血管生成和肿瘤发生。这些新发现定义了 KSHV 抑制 CAV1 途径的机制,并为靶向该途径治疗 KSHV 相关癌症奠定了科学基础。