Retroviruses and Cancer Development: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Prospects

Dear Colleagues,

The discovery of filterable agents able to induce neoplasms in chickens (avian leukosis, in 1908, and sarcomas, in 1911) provided the first clues of the existence of oncogenic pathogens, later identified as viruses. Some 60 years later, these viruses were found to encode an enzyme capable of converting its RNA genome into DNA. This landmark discovery in molecular biology defined a new class of viruses—the retroviruses—many of which act as direct or indirect biological carcinogens in diverse animal species. Studies of oncogenic animal retroviruses have yielded a rich body of knowledge on their role as pathogenic agents in their natural hosts and contributed to the dissection of virus-independent cellular pathways that are altered during the neoplastic transformation process. The identification and characterization of endogenous forms of retroviruses have revealed physiological roles and pathological effects of these permanent guests in our genomes.

This Special Issue on oncogenic retroviruses is aimed at providing the scientific community with knowledge on the life cycle of oncogenic animal retroviruses and their impact on the host cell, as well as strategies devised to eradicate infection and treat retrovirus-related cancers.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Donna D'Agostino
Prof. Dr. Vincenzo Ciminale
Guest Editors

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