HYPOTHESIS AND THEORY article

Front. Virol.

Sec. Translational Virology

Volume 5 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fviro.2025.1584507

HIV-1 Matrix Protein p17: A Key Factor in HIV-associated Cancers

Provisionally accepted
YUXIN ZHANGYUXIN ZHANG1Mengzhu LiMengzhu Li2Fangyu LinFangyu Lin1Rui GuoRui Guo2Danhui WuDanhui Wu2Rui ShenRui Shen2Vijay HarypursatVijay Harypursat2Yaokai ChenYaokai Chen2*Yemiao CHENYemiao CHEN3*
  • 1Office for Infectious Diseases Prevention and Control, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China
  • 2Department of Infectious Diseases, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China
  • 3Biobank, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China

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In the present era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), as a consequence of long-term antiretroviral medication consumption, extended patient survival, and persistent immune activation, people who live with HIV (PLWH) have become more susceptible to chronic diseases such as tumors, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes mellitus when compared to the general population. Although the HIV-1 matrix protein p17 (p17) was initially thought to be a structural protein of HIV-1, recent studies have revealed its close association with elevated incidence of tumors, particularly lymphomas, in HIV-1-infected individuals. Experimental results indicate that p17 may promote the proliferation and clonogenicity of various cell types. Moreover, p17 and its variants are directly and indirectly linked to the occurrence and development of lymphomas. The sustained detection of p17 in clinical specimens-particularly lymph node biopsies and plasma samples from HIV/AIDS patients-points to its possible involvement in tumor microenvironment modulation. Here, we present a brief overview of the roles played by p17 in the regulation of cellular functions, promotion of lymphoma occurrence, and formation of the tumor microenvironment, as well as the potential molecular mechanisms which are fundamental to the functionality of p17. Additionally, we briefly outline other HIV-related tumors that p17 may likely be involved in. Investigation of p17 mechanisms and their interactions with oncogenic pathways is essential for understanding HIV-associated tumorigenesis.These findings may facilitate the development of novel therapeutic strategies for HIV-related malignancies

Keywords: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), matrix protein p17, Lymphoma, Cell Proliferation, Tumor Microenvironment

Received: 01 Mar 2025; Accepted: 23 Apr 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 ZHANG, Li, Lin, Guo, Wu, Shen, Harypursat, Chen and CHEN. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence:
Yaokai Chen, Department of Infectious Diseases, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China
Yemiao CHEN, Biobank, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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