title: Identification of a polyomavirus microRNA highly expressed in tumors.
abstract: Polyomaviruses (PyVs) are associated with tumors including Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). Several PyVs encode microRNAs (miRNAs) but to date no abundant PyV miRNAs have been reported in tumors. To better understand the function of the Merkel cell PyV (MCPyV) miRNA, we examined phylogenetically-related viruses for miRNA expression. We show that two primate PyVs and the more distantly-related raccoon PyV (RacPyV) encode miRNAs that share genomic position and partial sequence identity with MCPyV miRNAs. Unlike MCPyV miRNA in MCC, RacPyV miRNA is highly abundant in raccoon tumors. RacPyV miRNA negatively regulates reporters of early viral (T antigen) transcripts, yet robust viral miRNA expression is tolerated in tumors. We also identify raccoon miRNAs expressed in RacPyV-associated neuroglial brain tumors, including several likely oncogenic miRNAs (oncomiRs). This work describes the first PyV miRNA abundantly expressed in tumors and is consistent with a possible role for both host and viral miRNAs in RacPyV-associated tumors.
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Austin, Molecular Biosciences, Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, Center for Infectious Disease, 1 University Station A5000, Austin, TX 78712-0162, USA.
authors.forename: Chun Jung
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Austin, Molecular Biosciences, Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, Center for Infectious Disease, 1 University Station A5000, Austin, TX 78712-0162, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Austin, Molecular Biosciences, Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, Center for Infectious Disease, 1 University Station A5000, Austin, TX 78712-0162, USA.
authors.forename: Kristopher D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Azarm
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Austin, Molecular Biosciences, Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, Center for Infectious Disease, 1 University Station A5000, Austin, TX 78712-0162, USA.
authors.forename: Karen N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Wylie
authors.affiliation: The University of California at Davis, Veterinary Medicine, 1 Shields Avenue, Vet Med: PMI, 4206 VM3A, Davis, CA 95616-5270, USA.
authors.forename: Kevin D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Woolard
authors.affiliation: The University of California at Davis, Veterinary Medicine, 1 Shields Avenue, Vet Med: PMI, 4206 VM3A, Davis, CA 95616-5270, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Pesavento
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Austin, Molecular Biosciences, Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, Center for Infectious Disease, 1 University Station A5000, Austin, TX 78712-0162, USA. Electronic address: chris_sullivan@austin.utexas.edu.
authors.forename: Christopher S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Sullivan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D011120:Polyomavirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011821:Raccoons
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: MCV; Merkel cell carcinoma; Polyomavirus; Raccoon Polyomavirus; miRNA; microRNA