Identification of Targets for Diagnostics and Therapy of Tumour Diseases Associated with Human Viruses

Identification of Targets for Diagnostics and Therapy of Tumour Diseases Associated with Human Viruses

doc. RNDr. Ruth Tachezy, Ph.D.

doc. RNDr. Ruth Tachezy, Ph.D. — Project head

The Faculty of Science of the Charles University

About us

Projects of this group are mostly focused on the epidemiology and molecular biology of HPVs and diagnosis and immunoprofiling of HPV-induced tumors. The laboratory has developed a number of approaches to characterize the viral etiology of tumors.

Recently, they have focused on head and neck carcinoma (HNC) tumors in which HPV is etiologically involved. In contrast to cervical cancer, which is nearly always high risk HPV-positive, HPV-associated and HPV-independent HNC represents a unique model to study a cancer that is caused by distinct, virus-associated and virus-independent molecular mechanisms. In this „model“, the miRNA expression patterns are evaluated in relation to the etiology of the disease and prognosis with the aim to select those miRNAs, which can be considered as possible treatment and diagnostics targets for specific groups of HNC. Furthermore, characterization of the immune response has been shown to be an important prognostic tool in a wide range of carcinomas, potentially even more relevant than the current cancer staging system. The other focus of this research team is on immunoprofiling of peripheral blood and HNC-infiltrating immune cells, in addition to HPV status. Results of studies of this team might help to identify novel targets for therapeutic strategies, including cancer immunotherapy, and it can improve the understanding of pathophysiology of these virally induced tumors.

Potential for cooperation

For the work of this team is necessary very close collaboration with clinicians. The group has long experience with analysis of a variety of clinical samples both for consequent molecular based methods as well as for serological assays. They have also experience with running of clinical trials. The results of their studies can be possibly used for the development of diagnostic assays and potentially as targets for therapeutic strategies including immunotherapy.

The list of publications published in non-impact magazines and published before 2014 is available HERE

News

Publications

2018

Grzelak A., Polakova I., Smahelova J., Vackova J., Pekarcikova L., Tachezy R., Smahel M. (2018): Experimental Combined Immunotherapy of Tumours with Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I Downregulation. Int J Mol Sci, 19 (11): E3693.

Hladíková K., Partlová S., Koucký V., Bouček J., Fonteneau J.F., Zábrodský M., Tachezy R., Grega M., Špíšek M., Fialová A. (2018): Dysfunction of HPV16-specific CD8+ T cells derived from oropharyngeal tumors is related to the expression of Tim-3 but not PD-1. Oral Oncol. 82: 75-82.

Saláková M., Košlabová E., Grega M., Šmahelová J., Klozar J., Vencálek O., Tachezy R. (2018): Mucosal and skin HPV types in tumour-free tonsils and tonsillar tumours. Neoplasma 65 (2): 278-286

Vojtěchová Z., Tachezy R. (2018): The role of miRNAs in virus-mediated oncogenesis. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 19 (4): E1217. 

2017

Hamšíková E., Šmahelová J., Ludvíková V., Saláková M., Rychlá J., Skřenková J., Rob L., Tachezy R. (2017): The prevalence of HPV infections in HPV-vaccinated women from the general population. APMIS 125 (6): 585–595.

Rob F., Tachezy R., Pichlík T., Škapa P., Rob L., Hamšíková E., Šmahelová J., Hercogová J. (2017): Concordance of HPV-DNA in cervical dysplasia or genital warts in women and their monogamous long-term male partners. J. Med. Virol. 89 (9): 1662-1670.

Rob F., Tachezy R., Pichlík T., Rob L., Kružicová Z., Hamšíková E., Šmahelová J., Hercogová J. (2017): High prevalence of genital HPV infection among long-term monogamous partners of women with cervical dysplasia or genital warts—Another reason for HPV vaccination of boys. Dermatol. Ther. 30: e12435. 

Šmahelová J., Kaštánková I., Poláková K.M., Klamová H., Zemanová K., Tachezy R., Hamšíková E., Šmahel M. (2017): Expression of genes encoding centrosomal proteins and the humoral response against these proteins in chronic myeloid leukemia. Oncol. Rep. 37 (1): 547-554. 

Vojtěchová Z., Zavadil J., Klozar J., Grega M., Tachezy R. (2017): Comparison of the miRNA expression profiles in fresh frozen and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tonsillar tumors. PLoS ONE 12 (6): e0179645.

2016

Jelen M.M., Chen Z., Kocjan B.J., Hošnjak L., Burt F.J., Chan P.K., Chouhy D., Combrinck C.E., Estrade C., Fiander A., Garland S.M., Giri A.A., González J.V., Gröning A., Hibbitts S., Luk T.N., Marinic K., Matsukura T., Neumann A., Oštrbenk A., Picconi M.A., Sagadin M., Sahli R., Seedat R.Y., Seme K., Severini A., Sinchi J.L., Šmahelová J., Tabrizi S.N., Tachezy R., Tohme Faybush S., Uloza V., Uloziene I., Wong Y.W., Židovec Lepej S., Burk R.D., Poljak M. (2016): Global genomic diversity of human papillomavirus type 11 (HPV11) based on 433 isolates and 78 complete genome sequences. J. Virol. 90 (11): 5503-5513.

Ragin C., Liu J.C., Jones G., Shoyele O., Sowunmi B., Kennett R., Groen HJ., Gibbs D., Blackman E., Esan M., Brandwein M.S., Devarajan K., Bussu F., Chernock R., Chien C.Y., Cohen M.A., Samir E.M., Mikio S., D'Souza G., Funchain P., Eng C., Gollin S.M., Hong A., Jung Y.S., Krüger M., Lewis J., Jr., Morbini P., Landolfo S., Rittà M., Straetmans J., Szarka K., Tachezy R., Worden F.P., Nelson D., Gathere S., Taioli E. (2016): Prevalence of HPV infection in racial-ethnic subgroups of head and neck cancer patients. Carcinogenesis 38 (2): 218-229.

Rob F., Tachezy R., Pichlík T., Rob L., Kružicová Z., Hamšíková E., Šmahelová J., Hercogová J. (2016): High prevalence of genital HPV infection among long-term monogamous partners of women with cervical dysplasia or genital warts - Another reason for HPV vaccination of boys. Dermatol. Ther. 30 (1): e12435. 

Sabol I., Šmahelová J., Klozar J., Mravak-Stipetic M., Gheit T., Tommasino M., Grce M., Tachezy R. (2016). Beta-HPV types in patients with head and neck pathology and in healthy subjects. J. Clinic. Virol. 82: 159-165.

Saláková M., Košlabová E., Vojtěchová Z., Tachezy R., Šroller V. (2016): Detection of human polyomaviruses MCPyV, HPyV6, and HPyV7 in malignant and non-malignant tonsillar tissues. J. Med. Virol. 88 (4): 695-702.

Šroller V., Hamšíková E., Ludvíková V., Musil J., Němečková Š., Saláková M. (2016): Seroprevalence rates of HPyV6, HPyV7, TSPyV, HPyV9, MWPyV and KIPyV polyomaviruses among the healthy blood donors. J. Med. Virol. 88 (7): 1254-1261. 

Vojtěchová Z., Sabol I., Saláková M., Turek L., Grega M., Šmahelová J., Vencalek O., Lukešová E., Klozar J., Tachezy R. (2016): Analysis of the integration of human papillomaviruses in head and neck tumours in relation to patients' prognosis. Int. J. Cancer 138 (2): 386-395

Vojtěchová Z., Sabol I., Saláková M., Šmahelová J., Zavadil J., Turek L., Grega M., Klozar J., Procházka B., Tachezy R. (2016): Comparison of the miRNA profiles in HPV-positive and HPV-negative tonsillar tumors and a model system of human keratinocyte clones. BMC Cancer  16: 382. 

2015

Partlová S., Bouček J., Kloudová K., Lukešová E., Zábrodský M., Grega M., Fučíková J., Truxová I., Tachezy R., Špíšek R., Fialová A. (2015): Distinct patterns of intratumoral immune cell infiltrates in patients with HPV-associated compared to non-virally induced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Oncoimmunology 4 (1): e965570.

Rob L., Tachezy R., Robová H. (2015): Cervical cancer: what is the optimal age for routine testing? Future Oncol. 11 (8): 1137-1140. Sijmons S., Thys K., Mbong Ngwese M., Van Damme E., Dvořák J., Van Loock M., Li G., Tachezy R., Busson L., Aerssens J., Van Ranst M., Maes P. (2015): High-throughput analysis of human cytomegalovirus genome diversity highlights the widespread occurrence of gene-disrupting mutations and pervasive recombination. J. Virol. 89 (15): 7673–7695

Sijmons S, Thys K, Mbong Ngwese M, Van Damme E, Dvorak J, Van Loock M, Li G, Tachezy R, Busson L, Aerssens J, Van Ranst M, Maes P. High-throughput analysis of human cytomegalovirus genome diversity highlights the widespread occurrence of gene-disrupting mutations and pervasive recombination. J Virol. 2015 May 13.

2014

Jelen M.M., Chen Z., Kocjan B.J., Burt F.J., Chan P.K., Chouhy D., Combrinck C.E., Coutlée F., Estrade C., Ferenczy A., Fiander A., Franco E.L., Garland S.M., Giri A.A., González J.V., Gröning A., Heidrich K., Hibbitts S., Hošnjak L., Luk T.N., Marinic K., Matsukura T., Neumann A., Oštrbenk A., Picconi M.A., Richardson H., Sagadin M., Sahli R., Seedat R.Y., Seme K., Severini A., Sinchi J.L., Šmahelová J., Tabrizi S.N., Tachezy R., Tohme S., Uloza V., Vitkauskiene A., Wong Y.W., Zidovec Lepej S., Burk R.D., Poljak M. (2014): Global genomic diversity of human papillomavirus 6 based on 724 isolates and 190 complete genome sequences. J. Virol.  88 (13): 7307-7316. 

Lukešová E., Bouček J., Rotnáglová E., Saláková M., Košlabová E., Grega M., Eckschlager T., Říhová B., Procházka B., Klozar J., Tachezy R. (2014): High level of Tregs is a positive prognostic marker in patients with HPV-positive oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas. Biomed. Res. Int.  2014: 303929. 

Šroller V., Hamšíková E., Ludvíková V., Vochozková P., Kojzarová M., Fraiberk M., Saláková M., Morávková A., Forstová J., Němečková Š. (2014): Seroprevalence rates of BKV, JCV, and MCPyV 1 polyomaviruses in the general Czech Republic population. J. Med. Virol.  86 (9): 1560-1568.