Epigenetic dysregulation in autophagy signaling as a driver of viral manifested oral carcinogenesis

Abstract

Background: Concurrent viral infections insist on dysregulated epigenetics of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs), cell cycle regulators, apoptosis, and autophagy-associated genes to manifest oral carcinogenesis. Autophagy has been projected as a strategic defense signaling cascade against viral entry and subsequent oral carcinogenesis. Compromised autophagy signaling during viral infection fuels oral cancer initiation and progression.

Scope of review: The aberrant expression of autophagy genes and their encoded proteins is catalyzed by the dysregulated epigenome, legitimate epigenomic mutations, and post-transcriptional modifications such as hypermethylation, deacetylation of histone and non-histone targets, and hyperacetylation of histones that drive malignant transformation during oral carcinogenesis. Recent investigations have predicted epi-drugs (intriguingly methylation and deacetylation inhibitors and activators) as next-generation oral cancer therapeutic agents with a special notation for autophagy regulation.

Major conclusions: This review focuses on the epigenetic mediated post-transcriptional modulation of autophagy genes during viral manifested oral carcinogenesis with a distinctive perception of autophagy-modulating epi-drugs in oral cancer therapeutics.

Keywords: Autophagy; Epi-drugs; Epigenetics; Oral cancer; Viral infection.