Research

Life Sciences & Biotechnology

Title :

studies on the alterations of nuclear speckle and paraspeckle components upon HCV infection: possible consequences in hepatocellular carcinoma

Area of research :

Life Sciences & Biotechnology

Focus area :

Oncology

Principal Investigator :

Ms. Piyanki Das, Indian Institute of science, Bangalore, Karnataka

Timeline Start Year :

2024

Timeline End Year :

2026

Contact info :

Details

Executive Summary :

The heterogeneous nucleoplasm consists of various self-organizing nuclear bodies, with nuclear speckles and its subregion paraspeckles being dominant. HCV, a cytoplasmic replicating virus, interacts with the nucleus and contributes to malignant transformation of hepatocytes. Persistent viral infection-associated stress and stress body formation serve as oncogenic stress factors for hepatocyte transformation and growth promotion during HCV-associated disorders. Recent research has revealed the interaction of cellular lncRNA and microRNA with nuclear speckled and paraspeckle subnuclear components and their role as oncogenic regulatory transcripts. Under various diseases, these nuclear body components are reshaped, destabilizing nuclear speckled factors and affecting RNA metabolism and gene expression regulation, leading to tumorigenesis and rare disorders. The lab is actively working on the role of several RNA binding proteins, long non-coding RNAs, and micro RNAs, paraspeckle components during virus-induced cellular pathogenesis in different RNA virus models, including HCC. The hypothesis is that HCV infection-induced oncogenic stress body reshaped nuclear speckle structures plays a prime role in determining viral replication and persistent infection, boosting regulatory control of cell fate and contributing to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Total Budget (INR):

Organizations involved