SARS-CoV-2 M Protein Facilitates Malignant Transformation of Breast Cancer Cells (2022)
“In summary, the present study demonstrated the effects of SARS-CoV-2 M protein on the malignant phenotypes of TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells, including the invasion, proliferation, stemness and in vivo metastasis of TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells, which might be involved in the upregulation of EMT genes regulated by the NFκB and Jak/STAT3 signaling pathways. Of note, M protein promoted the ability of MDA-MB-231 cells to induce malignant phenotypes in nonaggressive BCC lines, such as the hormone-dependent line MCF-7. Therefore, our findings suggested an increased risk of poor outcomes in breast cancer patients following SARS-CoV-2 infection, which should be noted while caring for cancer patients with COVID-19.”
SARS-CoV-2 restructures host chromatin architecture (2023)
“Here we found that SARS-CoV-2 infection notably restructures 3D host chromatin, featuring widespread compartment A weakening and A–B mixing, and global reduction in intra-TAD chromatin contacts (Fig. 6e). The epigenome is also altered, including a global reduction in active chromatin mark H3K27ac and a specific increase in H3K4me3 at pro-inflammatory gene promoters. Interestingly, these changes were quite unique to SARS-CoV-2 compared with infection by common-cold coronavirus or immune stimuli.”
