Abstract
The overall focus of this review is the characterization and functional role of cell–cell fusions in connection with human endogenous retroviruses (HERV ) in cancer. Examples of multinucleated cells presented include placental syncytiotrophoblasts, muscle myotubes, bone osteoclasts involved in normal human development and cell–cell fusions detected in tumors. Examples of multinucleated cells in various cancers include germ cell tumors, glioblastoma, melanoma, lung, breast, ovarian and endometrial carcinomas. The role of different HERV-envelope proteins mediating fusion or regulation of cells in tumors is highlighted. Although multinucleated cells are detected in various tumors, their origin, functional role and overall cellular fate are ambiguous. The effect of multiple cancer cells fusing and in contrast cancer cells fusing with somatic cells is also discussed. Understanding tumorigenesis has to ultimately link the knowledge between the function and action of multinucleated cells, cell fusion, HERVs, retroviruses and cell signalling pathways.
Keywords
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- ASCT:
-
Alanine, serine and cysteine selective transporters
- BMD:
-
Bone marrow derived
- BMDC:
-
Bone marrow derived cells
- CD:
-
Cluster of differentiation
- eff-1:
-
Epithelial fusion failure 1
- EM:
-
Electron microscopy
- env:
-
Envelope
- gag:
-
Group-specific antigen
- HA:
-
Hemagglutinin
- HELLP:
-
Hemolysis elevated liver enzymes low platelet count
- HERV:
-
Human endogenous retrovirus
- HIV:
-
Human immune deficiency virus
- HTLV:
-
Human T-cell lymphotropic virus
- IF:
-
Immunofluorescence
- IHC:
-
Immunohistochemistry
- IUGR:
-
Intrauterine growth restriction
- MFSD2:
-
Major facilitator superfamily domain containing 2
- MSRV:
-
Multiple sclerosis retrovirus
- PE:
-
Pre-eclampsia
- Pol:
-
Polymerase
- RIA:
-
Radioimmunoassay
- RNAi:
-
RNA interference
- SU:
-
Surface unit
- TGF:
-
Transforming growth factor
- TM:
-
Transmembrane unit
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Strick, R., Beckmann, M.W., Strissel, P.L. (2011). Cell–Cell Fusions and Human Endogenous Retroviruses in Cancer. In: Larsson, LI. (eds) Cell Fusions. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9772-9_17
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