Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 18, 2025
13:19
Microarray-based Identification of Individual HERV Loci Expression: Application to Biomarker Discovery in Prostate Cancer
Published on: November 2, 2013
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Human endogenous retroviruses in cancer: Expression, regulation and function
Yuan Gao1, Xiao-Fang Yu1, Ting Chen1
1Cancer Institute, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zheijang 310009, P.R. China.
Oncology Letters
|February 8, 2021
Summary
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are ancient viral remnants in our DNA. This review explores how HERVs impact cancer, noting they can both suppress and promote tumor growth, with HERV ENV proteins playing a key role.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Virology
- Genetics
Background:
- Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are integrated remnants of ancient retroviral infections within the human genome.
- While often silent, HERVs are increasingly implicated in various diseases, notably cancers like breast and pancreatic carcinoma.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression patterns and regulatory mechanisms of HERVs in the context of cancer.
- To explore the dual role of HERVs in cancer, encompassing both tumor suppression and promotion.
Main Methods:
- Review of scientific literature on HERV expression, regulation, and function in cancer.
- Analysis of regulatory factors including transcription factors (e.g., Sp3), epigenetic modifications (e.g., DNA methylation), and environmental influences (e.g., UV radiation).
Main Results:
- HERV transcription is initiated by long terminal repeats and modulated by various factors.
- HERVs exhibit opposing effects in cancer: immune activation leading to suppression, or promotion of carcinogenesis.
- The HERV env gene and its proteins are identified as key drivers in specific cancers, potentially through immune suppression.
Conclusions:
- HERVs represent a complex factor in cancer development and progression.
- Targeting HERV ENV proteins presents a promising avenue for future antitumor therapies.
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