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Updated: Jun 17, 2025
Production of Replication-Defective Retrovirus by Transient Transfection of 293T cells
Published on: December 4, 2007
HERV-K np9 and HERV-R env: Two endogenous retrovirus products with potential Pathogenic roles in pediatric acute
Noha Gaber1, Ahmed Samir Abdelhafiz2, Nivin Abdel-Azim3
1Clinical Pathology Department, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
Objectives:
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are integral components of the human genome, and their reactivation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of some malignancies. External viral co-infections are suspected to play a role in HERV transactivation. This study aimed to investigate the expression of HERV-K np9 elements and HERV-R env gene in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients. Additionally, we explored potential correlations between HERV expression and common viral infections prevalent in this group of patients.
Methods:
Blood samples were collected from 43 pediatric ALL patients and 48 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to assess the expression of HERV-K np9 and HERV-R env, along with herpes simplex virus (HSV), parvovirus B19, and polyomavirus BK.
Results:
HERV-K np9 and HERV-R env showed significantly higher expression in the peripheral blood of ALL patients compared to healthy controls (p < .001 and p = .003, respectively). HSV positivity was associated with significantly increased HERV-K np9 expression. No significant correlations were observed between other investigated viruses and HERV gene expression.
Conclusion:
The overexpression of HERV-K np9 and HERV-R env in pediatric ALL patients suggest their potential role in leukemogenesis. Our findings also suggest a possible link between HSV infection and HERV reactivation in this population. Future investigations are needed to understand the precise roles of these genes and viral infections in the development of ALL.
