Tuesday, December 9, 2025 12/9/2025

Deamidation-mediated metabolic reprogramming by KSHV in cell proliferation and tumorigenesis

Award Number: R00DE028973
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DENTAL AND CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 07/01/2021
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2025

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Deamidation-mediated metabolic reprogramming by KSHV in cell proliferation and tumorigenesis - PROJECT SUMMARY Human Kaposi’s Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus (KSHV) is the etiological agent of multiple cancers. However, the molecular details concerning the tumorigenesis of KSHV are not well understood. Our recent studies indicate that herpesviruses employ protein deamidation to evade innate immune response. To probe the role of protein deamidation in fundamental biological processes, we performed a focused screen targeting cellular glutamine amidotransferases (GAT), a potential protein deamidases family. We identified one glutamine amidotransferase as a negative regulator of NF-κB activation. In our preliminary studies, we found that the GAT possessed intrinsic protein deamidating ability to deamidate NF-κB transcription factor to dampen its ability to transactivate NF-κB genes. Remarkably, deamidation promoted aerobic glycolysis to promote cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. Furthermore, KSHV hijacks the cellular mechanism to induce NF-κB deamidation and promote cell proliferation, thereby inducing tumor formation. Our findings support the overarching hypothesis a nucleotide biosynthetic enzyme deamidates a NF-κB subunit to reprogram metabolism, thus promoting cell proliferation and tumorigenesis, and that KSHV hijacks this mechanism to achieve persistent infection. To test this central hypothesis, I propose three aims in this project: 1) Elucidate the GAT-mediated deamidation of a NF-κB subunit and downregulation of NF-κB activation; 2) Delineate the metabolic reprogramming by GAT-mediated deamidation; and 3) Characterize a viral mechanism that hijacks the cellular deamidation to promote proliferation and tumor formation during KSHV latent infection. In the K99 phase, I will achieve the following three sub aims: 1) characterize the molecular detail of the NF-κB deamidation (Aim 1A); 2) examine the role of deamidation in innate immune defense (Aim 1B); and 3) dissect the mechanism of deamidation-mediated metabolic reprogramming (Aim 2A). In the R00 phase, I will complete Aim 2 by defining the role of NF-κB deamidation in proliferation and tumorigenesis of diverse cancer cell lines. Furthermore, I will investigate the mechanism by which KSHV promotes NF-κB deamidation and define its role in metabolism and tumorigenesis during KSHV infection. In summary, the K99/R00 project will characterize novel functions of a cellular metabolic enzyme (in nucleotide synthesis) and a key transcription factor (a NF-κB subunit), and elucidate a new mechanism governing metabolic reprogramming to drive cell proliferation, thereby offering fresh insight into the metabolic regulation during KSHV infection. It will establish the foundation for my long-term career goals to study protein deamidations in cellular metabolism, KSHV-associated tumorigenesis and translational applications to antiviral/antitumor therapies.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = -$7,412 )
2026	2023	CLEVELAND CLINIC LERNER COLLEGE OF MEDICINE OF CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY	9500 EUCLID AVE.	CLEVELAND	OH	44195	CUYAHOGA	USA	Oral Diseases and Disorders Research	000	5	12/3/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$7,412
														Subtotal = -$7,412

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $248,882 )
2023	2023	CLEVELAND CLINIC LERNER COLLEGE OF MEDICINE OF CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY	9500 EUCLID AVE.	CLEVELAND	OH	44195	CUYAHOGA	USA	Oral Diseases and Disorders Research	000	5	5/31/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$248,882
														Subtotal = $248,882

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $274,547 )
2022	2022	CLEVELAND CLINIC LERNER COLLEGE OF MEDICINE/CWRU	9500 EUCLID AVE	CLEVELAND	OH	44195	CUYAHOGA	USA	Oral Diseases and Disorders Research	001	4	5/31/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$248,882
2022	2021	CLEVELAND CLINIC LERNER COLLEGE OF MEDICINE/CWRU	9500 EUCLID AVE	CLEVELAND	OH	44195	CUYAHOGA	USA	Oral Diseases and Disorders Research	000	3	11/20/2021	EXTENSION WITH OR WITHOUT FUNDS	$25,665
														Subtotal = $274,547

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $248,882 )
2021	2021	CLEVELAND CLINIC LERNER COLLEGE OF MEDICINE/CWRU	9500 EUCLID AVE	CLEVELAND	OH	44195	CUYAHOGA	USA	Oral Diseases and Disorders Research	000	3	6/10/2021	EXTENSION WITH OR WITHOUT FUNDS	$248,882
														Subtotal = $248,882

Grand Total All Awards = $764,899

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Deamidation-mediated metabolic reprogramming by KSHV in cell proliferation and tumorigenesis

Award Number: R00DE028973

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DENTAL AND CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 07/01/2021

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2025

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