The constitutively active HCMV - encoded receptor UL 33 displays oncogenic potential

e human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), associated with the development of malignancies, encodes the constitutively active G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) UL andUS. AsUS possesses oncogenic properties and is expressed inCMV positive human glioblastomas, we set out to investigate the signaling properties of UL. US expression is detected early aer infection, whereas UL is expressed at later stages. In transient, as well as stable transfection systems, UL, like US, constitutively activates various proliferative, pro-angiogenic signal transduction pathways. In xenogra models, UL was shown to induce tumor growth. As shown previously for US, UL expression was also detected in human glioblastoma. Interestingly, the distribution of UL in the primary glioblastoma samples was more dispersed, while expression of US was con ned to the vascular niche. Taken together, our data indicate that the viral GPCR UL has oncogenic potential and could play a role in HCMV-associated malignancies. e differential kinetics of UL and US expression and pronounced expression of UL in human glioblastoma, indicate that HCMV has devised distinct means to engage or prolong proliferative signaling pathways upon infection through expression of these viral receptors. 76 | UL33 displays oncogenic potential