Neuropilin-1 is involved in lytic replication in a subset of primary effusion lymphoma cell lines and for KSHV gene expression in primary endothelial cells.

Neuropilin-1 is essential for lytic replication and is overexpressed in a subset of primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) cell lines, indicating its role in disease progression.

• Why it matters: PEL caused by KSHV has poor outcomes and limited diagnostic markers, especially since the lymphoma cells lack typical B cell markers, underscoring the need for new prognostic indicators and therapeutic targets.
• What they did: Single cell DNA-seq and antibody derived tag-seq identified NRP1 as a surface marker overexpressed in KSHV+ PEL cell lines; functional studies showed NRP1 depletion reduced lytic activity, while overexpression increased lytic transcripts.
• The result: Findings suggest NRP1 is a key factor in PEL lytic replication and associated with stemness markers, offering potential for targeted therapy and prognosis in chemotherapy-resistant PEL cases.