Tumors are caused by multiple genetic events, usually involving activation of oncogenes and inactivation of tumor suppressor genes. In humans, but not mice, activation of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) is also observed in ~90% of tumors. Recently, activation of TERT by avian leukosis virus (ALV) integration was observed in B-cell lymphomas in chickens. Since the TERT integrations were clonal, this appears to be an early event in tumor development. In the first aim, this hypothesis will be tested by infection of 10-day chicken embryos with a retrovirus expressing the TERT gene. The rate of tumor induction will be monitored. Retroviral tagging will be employed to identify oncogenes and microRNAs that cooperate with TERT to generate tumors. Cooperativity will be studied in tissue culture systems and in tumor induction. Telomere lengths in the tumors will be analyzed in an attempt to determine whether TERT has roles in addition to telomere lengthening. Finally, telomere expression will be studied at the level of transcription and alternative splicing in the tumors. The hypothesis that retroviruses inactivate tumor suppressors by insertional activation of microRNAs will be tested in the second Aim. miR-155, processed from the non-coding bic gene, is activated in metastatic B-cell lymphomas induced by ALV. Targets of ALV will be identified by bioinformatics, microarray and proteomics analyses and validated with reporter assays. Levels of targets in tumors expressing bic will be determined. The role of individual targets in tumor induction will be studied in tissue culture assays and in vivo.

Public Health Relevance

Since telomerase is involved in most human cancers, it is important to have an animal model system that involves telomerase to further understanding of the disease and development of therapeutics. Chicken B-cell lymphomas induced by retroviral DNA integration into the genome have been shown to involve telomerase and will be studied here. In addition, the role of microRNA-155 in tumor induction will be studied by the identification and characterization of targets important for oncogenesis.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01CA124596-03
Application #
7898757
Study Section
Virology - A Study Section (VIRA)
Program Officer
Read-Connole, Elizabeth Lee
Project Start
2008-09-01
Project End
2013-07-31
Budget Start
2010-08-01
Budget End
2011-07-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$334,992
Indirect Cost
Name
Johns Hopkins University
Department
Biology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
001910777
City
Baltimore
State
MD
Country
United States
Zip Code
21218
Lam, Gary; Beemon, Karen (2018) ALV Integration-Associated Hypomethylation at the TERT Promoter Locus. Viruses 10:
Malhotra, Sanandan; Winans, Shelby; Lam, Gary et al. (2017) Selection for avian leukosis virus integration sites determines the clonal progression of B-cell lymphomas. PLoS Pathog 13:e1006708
Winans, Shelby; Flynn, Alyssa; Malhotra, Sanandan et al. (2017) Integration of ALV into CTDSPL and CTDSPL2 genes in B-cell lymphomas promotes cell immortalization, migration and survival. Oncotarget 8:57302-57315
Winans, Shelby; Larue, Ross C; Abraham, Carly M et al. (2017) The FACT Complex Promotes Avian Leukosis Virus DNA Integration. J Virol 91:
Nehyba, Jiri; Malhotra, Sanandan; Winans, Shelby et al. (2016) Avian Leukosis Virus Activation of an Antisense RNA Upstream of TERT in B-Cell Lymphomas. J Virol 90:9509-17
Lam, Gary; Xian, Rena R; Li, Yingying et al. (2016) Lack of TERT Promoter Mutations in Human B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Genes (Basel) 7:
Justice 4th, James F; Morgan, Robin W; Beemon, Karen L (2015) Common Viral Integration Sites Identified in Avian Leukosis Virus-Induced B-Cell Lymphomas. MBio 6:e01863-15
Malhotra, Sanandan; Justice 4th, James; Lee, Nathan et al. (2015) Complete genome sequence of an american avian leukosis virus subgroup j isolate that causes hemangiomas and myeloid leukosis. Genome Announc 3:
Justice 4th, James; Malhotra, Sanandan; Ruano, Miguel et al. (2015) The MET gene is a common integration target in avian leukosis virus subgroup J-induced chicken hemangiomas. J Virol 89:4712-9
Justice 4th, James; Beemon, Karen L (2013) Avian retroviral replication. Curr Opin Virol 3:664-9

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