Targeting EBV Episome for Anti-Cancer Therapy: Emerging Strategies and Challenges
As a ubiquitous human pathogen, the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) has established lifelong persistent infection in about 95% of the adult population. The EBV infection is associated with approximately 200,000 human cancer cases and 140,000 deaths per year. The presence of EBV in tumor cells provides a un...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/1/110 |
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| author | Febri Gunawan Sugiokto Renfeng Li |
| author_facet | Febri Gunawan Sugiokto Renfeng Li |
| author_sort | Febri Gunawan Sugiokto |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As a ubiquitous human pathogen, the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) has established lifelong persistent infection in about 95% of the adult population. The EBV infection is associated with approximately 200,000 human cancer cases and 140,000 deaths per year. The presence of EBV in tumor cells provides a unique advantage in targeting the viral genome (also known as episome), to develop anti-cancer therapeutics. In this review, we summarize current strategies targeting the viral episome in cancer cells. We also highlight emerging technologies, such as clustered regularly interspersed short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-based gene editing or activation, which offer promising avenues for selective targeting of the EBV episome for anti-cancer therapy. We discuss the challenges, limitations, and future perspectives associated with these strategies, including potential off-target effects, anti-cancer efficacy and safety. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-48aa660178ab4287bccbccc46d062ed1 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj-art-48aa660178ab4287bccbccc46d062ed12025-01-24T13:52:37ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152025-01-0117111010.3390/v17010110Targeting EBV Episome for Anti-Cancer Therapy: Emerging Strategies and ChallengesFebri Gunawan Sugiokto0Renfeng Li1Program in Microbiology and Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USAProgram in Microbiology and Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USAAs a ubiquitous human pathogen, the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) has established lifelong persistent infection in about 95% of the adult population. The EBV infection is associated with approximately 200,000 human cancer cases and 140,000 deaths per year. The presence of EBV in tumor cells provides a unique advantage in targeting the viral genome (also known as episome), to develop anti-cancer therapeutics. In this review, we summarize current strategies targeting the viral episome in cancer cells. We also highlight emerging technologies, such as clustered regularly interspersed short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-based gene editing or activation, which offer promising avenues for selective targeting of the EBV episome for anti-cancer therapy. We discuss the challenges, limitations, and future perspectives associated with these strategies, including potential off-target effects, anti-cancer efficacy and safety.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/1/110Epstein–Barr viruscancerepisomereactivationanti-cancer therapyCRISPR |
| spellingShingle | Febri Gunawan Sugiokto Renfeng Li Targeting EBV Episome for Anti-Cancer Therapy: Emerging Strategies and Challenges Viruses Epstein–Barr virus cancer episome reactivation anti-cancer therapy CRISPR |
| title | Targeting EBV Episome for Anti-Cancer Therapy: Emerging Strategies and Challenges |
| title_full | Targeting EBV Episome for Anti-Cancer Therapy: Emerging Strategies and Challenges |
| title_fullStr | Targeting EBV Episome for Anti-Cancer Therapy: Emerging Strategies and Challenges |
| title_full_unstemmed | Targeting EBV Episome for Anti-Cancer Therapy: Emerging Strategies and Challenges |
| title_short | Targeting EBV Episome for Anti-Cancer Therapy: Emerging Strategies and Challenges |
| title_sort | targeting ebv episome for anti cancer therapy emerging strategies and challenges |
| topic | Epstein–Barr virus cancer episome reactivation anti-cancer therapy CRISPR |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/1/110 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT febrigunawansugiokto targetingebvepisomeforanticancertherapyemergingstrategiesandchallenges AT renfengli targetingebvepisomeforanticancertherapyemergingstrategiesandchallenges |