KSHV MicroRNAs Repress Tropomyosin 1 and Increase Anchorage-Independent Growth and Endothelial Tube Formation

Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) is characterized by highly vascularized spindle-cell tumors induced after infection of endothelial cells by Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). In KS tumors, KSHV expresses only a few latent proteins together with 12 pre-microRNAs. Previous microarray and proteomic studies predicted that multiple splice variants of the tumor suppressor protein tropomyosin 1 (TPM1) were targets of KSHV microRNAs. Here we show that at least two microRNAs of KSHV, miR-K2 and miR-K5, repress protein levels of specific isoforms of TPM1. We identified a functional miR-K5 binding site in the 3’ untranslated region (UTR) of one TPM1 isoform. Furthermore, the inhibition or loss of miR-K2 or miR-K5 restores expression of TPM1 in KSHV-infected cells. TPM1 protein levels were also repressed in KSHV-infected clinical samples compared to uninfected samples. Functionally, miR-K2 increases viability of unanchored human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) by inhibiting anoikis (apoptosis after cell detachment), enhances tube formation of HUVECs, and enhances VEGFA expression. Taken together, KSHV miR-K2 and miR-K5 may facilitate KSHV pathogenesis.