Respiratory viral infections awaken metastatic breast cancer cells in lungs (2025)
Our results indicate that respiratory virus infections promote the awakening and expansion of previously seeded dormant cancer cells…Analyses based on the Flatiron Health database further reveal a marked rise in metastatic lung disease among breast cancer survivors following COVID-19. Collectively, these findings underscore the substantial metastatic risk COVID-19 posed to cancer survivors, with dormant DCC reactivation potentially driving this phenomenon…In conclusion, our studies reveal how respiratory virus infections can increase cancer recurrence risk and underscore the need for public health and clinical strategies to mitigate the increased risk of metastatic progression associated with SARS-CoV2 and other respiratory virus infections.
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.”
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.”
