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Updated: May 25, 2026

Microarray-based Identification of Individual HERV Loci Expression: Application to Biomarker Discovery in Prostate Cancer
13:19

Microarray-based Identification of Individual HERV Loci Expression: Application to Biomarker Discovery in Prostate Cancer

Published on: November 2, 2013

XMRV Discovery and Prostate Cancer-Related Research

David E Kang1, Michael C Lee, Jaydip Das Gupta

  • 1Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA.

Advances in Virology
|February 8, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) was linked to human prostate cancer, but its presence is debated due to lab contamination. Further research is needed to clarify XMRV

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Oncology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) was first identified in 2006.
  • Initial studies linked XMRV to human prostate cancer patients with RNase L genetic variants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the discovery of XMRV.
  • To focus on prostate cancer research involving XMRV.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing scientific literature on XMRV.
  • Analysis of studies investigating XMRV detection in various patient groups and healthy controls.
  • Examination of XMRV replication in human cell lines and its tropism in primate models.

Main Results:

  • Subsequent investigations globally yielded conflicting results regarding XMRV detection in patients and controls.
  • Mouse-derived reagents and laboratory contamination are identified as significant confounding factors.
  • XMRV demonstrates efficient replication in human cell lines, particularly prostate cancer cells, and targets the prostate in primate models.

Conclusions:

  • The presence and role of XMRV in human diseases, including prostate cancer, remain uncertain.
  • Laboratory practices and contamination issues are critical considerations in XMRV research.
  • XMRV's biological characteristics warrant continued investigation, especially concerning its potential link to prostate cancer.

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