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Dopkins N, Fei T, Michael S, Liotta N, Guo K, Mickens KL, Barrett BS, Bendall ML, Dillon SM, Wilson CC, Santiago ML, Nixon DF. Endogenous retroelement expression in the gut microenvironment of people living with HIV-1. EBioMedicine 2024; 103:105133. [PMID: 38677181 PMCID: PMC11061259 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.105133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Endogenous retroelements (EREs), including human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) and long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs), comprise almost half of the human genome. Our previous studies of the interferome in the gut suggest potential mechanisms regarding how IFNb may drive HIV-1 gut pathogenesis. As ERE activity is suggested to partake in type 1 immune responses and is incredibly sensitive to viral infections, we sought to elucidate underlying interactions between ERE expression and gut dynamics in people living with HIV-1 (PLWH). METHODS ERE expression profiles from bulk RNA sequencing of colon biopsies and PBMC were compared between a cohort of PLWH not on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and uninfected controls. FINDINGS 59 EREs were differentially expressed in the colon of PLWH when compared to uninfected controls (padj <0.05 and FC ≤ -1 or ≥ 1) [Wald's Test]. Of these 59, 12 EREs were downregulated in PLWH and 47 were upregulated. Colon expression of the ERE loci LTR19_12p13.31 and L1FLnI_1q23.1s showed significant correlations with certain gut immune cell subset frequencies in the colon. Furthermore L1FLnI_1q23.1s showed a significant upregulation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of PLWH when compared to uninfected controls suggesting a common mechanism of differential ERE expression in the colon and PBMC. INTERPRETATION ERE activity has been largely understudied in genomic characterizations of human pathologies. We show that the activity of certain EREs in the colon of PLWH is deregulated, supporting our hypotheses that their underlying activity could function as (bio)markers and potential mediators of pathogenesis in HIV-1 reservoirs. FUNDING US NIH grants NCI CA260691 (DFN) and NIAID UM1AI164559 (DFN).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Dopkins
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Tongyi Fei
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephanie Michael
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nicholas Liotta
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kejun Guo
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Kaylee L Mickens
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Brad S Barrett
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Matthew L Bendall
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephanie M Dillon
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Cara C Wilson
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Mario L Santiago
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Douglas F Nixon
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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da Silva AL, Guedes BLM, Santos SN, Correa GF, Nardy A, Nali LHDS, Bachi ALL, Romano CM. Beyond pathogens: the intriguing genetic legacy of endogenous retroviruses in host physiology. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1379962. [PMID: 38655281 PMCID: PMC11035796 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1379962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The notion that viruses played a crucial role in the evolution of life is not a new concept. However, more recent insights suggest that this perception might be even more expansive, highlighting the ongoing impact of viruses on host evolution. Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are considered genomic remnants of ancient viral infections acquired throughout vertebrate evolution. Their exogenous counterparts once infected the host's germline cells, eventually leading to the permanent endogenization of their respective proviruses. The success of ERV colonization is evident so that it constitutes 8% of the human genome. Emerging genomic studies indicate that endogenous retroviruses are not merely remnants of past infections but rather play a corollary role, despite not fully understood, in host genetic regulation. This review presents some evidence supporting the crucial role of endogenous retroviruses in regulating host genetics. We explore the involvement of human ERVs (HERVs) in key physiological processes, from their precise and orchestrated activities during cellular differentiation and pluripotency to their contributions to aging and cellular senescence. Additionally, we discuss the costs associated with hosting a substantial amount of preserved viral genetic material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Lopes da Silva
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Bruno Luiz Miranda Guedes
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Samuel Nascimento Santos
- UNISA Research Center, Universidade Santo Amaro, Post-Graduation in Health Sciences, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Giovanna Francisco Correa
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ariane Nardy
- UNISA Research Center, Universidade Santo Amaro, Post-Graduation in Health Sciences, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Andre Luis Lacerda Bachi
- UNISA Research Center, Universidade Santo Amaro, Post-Graduation in Health Sciences, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Camila Malta Romano
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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3
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Takahashi Ueda M. Retrotransposon-derived transcripts and their functions in immunity and disease. Genes Genet Syst 2024; 98:305-319. [PMID: 38199240 DOI: 10.1266/ggs.23-00187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Retrotransposons, which account for approximately 42% of the human genome, have been increasingly recognized as "non-self" pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) due to their virus-like sequences. In abnormal conditions such as cancer and viral infections, retrotransposons that are aberrantly expressed due to impaired epigenetic suppression display PAMPs, leading to their recognition by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) of the innate immune system and triggering inflammation. This viral mimicry mechanism has been observed in various human diseases, including aging and autoimmune disorders. However, recent evidence suggests that retrotransposons possess highly regulated immune reactivity and play important roles in the development and function of the immune system. In this review, I discuss a wide range of retrotransposon-derived transcripts, their role as targets in immune recognition, and the diseases associated with retrotransposon activity. Furthermore, I explore the implications of chimeric transcripts formed between retrotransposons and known gene mRNAs, which have been previously underestimated, for the increase of immune-related gene isoforms and their influence on immune function. Retrotransposon-derived transcripts have profound and multifaceted effects on immune system function. The aim of this comprehensive review is to provide a better understanding of the complex relationship between retrotransposon transcripts and immune defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahoko Takahashi Ueda
- Department of Genomic Function and Diversity, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University
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4
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Kyriakou E, Magiorkinis G. Interplay between endogenous and exogenous human retroviruses. Trends Microbiol 2023; 31:933-946. [PMID: 37019721 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
In humans, retroviruses thrive more as symbionts than as parasites. Apart from the only two modern exogenous human retroviruses (human T-cell lymphotropic and immunodeficiency viruses; HTLV and HIV, respectively), ~8% of the human genome is occupied by ancient retroviral DNA [human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs)]. Here, we review the recent discoveries about the interactions between the two groups, the impact of infection by exogenous retroviruses on the expression of HERVs, the effect of HERVs on the pathogenicity of HIV and HTLV and on the severity of the diseases caused by them, and the antiviral protection that HERVs can allegedly provide to the host. Tracing the crosstalk between contemporary retroviruses and their endogenized ancestors will provide better understanding of the retroviral world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Kyriakou
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Gkikas Magiorkinis
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
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Singh B, Dopkins N, Fei T, Marston JL, Michael S, Reyes-Gopar H, Curty G, Heymann JJ, Chadburn A, Martin P, Leal FE, Cesarman E, Nixon DF, Bendall ML. Locus specific human endogenous retroviruses reveal new lymphoma subtypes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.08.544208. [PMID: 37333202 PMCID: PMC10274920 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.08.544208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
The heterogeneity of cancers are driven by diverse mechanisms underlying oncogenesis such as differential 'cell-of-origin' (COO) progenitors, mutagenesis, and viral infections. Classification of B-cell lymphomas have been defined by considering these characteristics. However, the expression and contribution of transposable elements (TEs) to B cell lymphoma oncogenesis or classification have been overlooked. We hypothesized that incorporating TE signatures would increase the resolution of B-cell identity during healthy and malignant conditions. Here, we present the first comprehensive, locus-specific characterization of TE expression in benign germinal center (GC) B-cells, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive and EBV-negative Burkitt lymphoma (BL), and follicular lymphoma (FL). Our findings demonstrate unique human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) signatures in the GC and lymphoma subtypes whose activity can be used in combination with gene expression to define B-cell lineage in lymphoid malignancies, highlighting the potential of retrotranscriptomic analyses as a tool in lymphoma classification, diagnosis, and the identification of novel treatment groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhavya Singh
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nicholas Dopkins
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tongyi Fei
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jez L. Marston
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephanie Michael
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Helena Reyes-Gopar
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
- Departamento de Genómica Computacional, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Gislaine Curty
- Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jonas J. Heymann
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Amy Chadburn
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Peter Martin
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Fabio E. Leal
- Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ethel Cesarman
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Douglas F. Nixon
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Matthew L. Bendall
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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Laine A, Wang X, Ni K, Smith SEB, Najjar R, Whitmore LS, Yacoub M, Bays A, Gale M, Mustelin T. Expression of Envelope Protein Encoded by Endogenous Retrovirus K102 in Rheumatoid Arthritis Neutrophils. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1310. [PMID: 37317284 PMCID: PMC10223813 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11051310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Many patients suffering from autoimmune diseases have autoantibodies against proteins encoded by genomic retroelements, suggesting that normal epigenetic silencing is insufficient to prevent the production of the encoded proteins for which immune tolerance appears to be limited. One such protein is the transmembrane envelope (Env) protein encoded by human endogenous retrovirus K (HERV-K). We reported recently that patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have IgG autoantibodies that recognize Env. Here, we use RNA sequencing of RA neutrophils to analyze HERV-K expression and find that only two loci with an intact open-reading frame for Env, HERV-K102, and K108 are expressed, but only the former is increased in RA. In contrast, other immune cells express more K108 than K102. Patient autoantibodies recognized endogenously expressed Env in breast cancer cells and in RA neutrophils but not healthy controls. A monoclonal anti-Env antibody also detected Env on the surface of RA neutrophils but very little on the surface of other immune cells. We conclude that HERV-K102 is the locus that produces Env detectable on the surface of neutrophils in RA. The low levels of HERV-K108 transcripts may contribute only marginally to cell surface Env on neutrophils or other immune cells in some patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Laine
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Xiaoxing Wang
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Kathryn Ni
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Sarah E. B. Smith
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Rayan Najjar
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Leanne S. Whitmore
- Center for Innate Immunity and Infectious Disease, Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Michael Yacoub
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Alison Bays
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Michael Gale
- Center for Innate Immunity and Infectious Disease, Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Tomas Mustelin
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Center for Innate Immunity and Infectious Disease, Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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7
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Grandi N, Erbì MC, Scognamiglio S, Tramontano E. Human Endogenous Retrovirus (HERV) Transcriptome Is Dynamically Modulated during SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Allows Discrimination of COVID-19 Clinical Stages. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0251622. [PMID: 36602345 PMCID: PMC9927238 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02516-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 infection is known to trigger an important inflammatory response, which has a major role in COVID-19 pathogenesis. In infectious and inflammatory contexts, the modulation of human endogenous retroviruses (HERV) has been broadly reported, being able to further sustain innate immune responses due to the expression of immunogenic viral transcripts, including double-stranded DNA (dsRNA), and eventually, immunogenic proteins. To gain insights on this poorly characterized interplay, we performed a high-throughput expression analysis of ~3,300 specific HERV loci in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 10 healthy controls and 16 individuals being either convalescent after the infection (6) or retesting positive after convalescence (10) (Gene Expression Onmibus [GEO] data set GSE166253). Results showed that the exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection modulates HERV expression according to the disease stage and reflecting COVID-19 immune signatures. The differential expression analysis between healthy control (HC) and COVID-19 patients allowed us to identify a total of 282 differentially expressed HERV loci (deHERV) in the individuals exposed to SARS-CoV-2 infection, independently from the clinical form. In addition, 278 and 60 deHERV loci that were specifically modulated in individuals convalescent after COVID19 infection (C) and patients that retested positive to SARS-CoV-2 after convalescence (RTP) as individually compared to HC, respectively, as well as 164 deHERV loci between C and RTP patients were identified. The identified HERV loci belonged to 36 different HERV groups, including members of all three classes. The present study provides an exhaustive picture of the HERV transcriptome in PBMCs and its dynamic variation in the presence of COVID-19, revealing specific modulation patterns according to the infection stage that can be relevant to the disease clinical manifestation and outcome. IMPORTANCE We report here the first high-throughput analysis of HERV loci expression along SARS-CoV-2 infection, as performed with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Such cells are not directly infected by the virus but have a crucial role in the plethora of inflammatory and immune events that constitute a major hallmark of COVID-19 pathogenesis. Results provide a novel and exhaustive picture of HERV expression in PBMCs, revealing specific modulation patterns according to the disease condition and the concomitant immune activation. To our knowledge, this is the first set of deHERVs whose expression is dynamically modulated across COVID-19 stages, confirming a tight interplay between HERV and cellular immunity and revealing specific transcriptional signatures that can have an impact on the disease clinical manifestation and outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Grandi
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Maria Chiara Erbì
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Sante Scognamiglio
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Enzo Tramontano
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Cagliari, Italy
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8
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Alldredge J, Kumar V, Nguyen J, Sanders BE, Gomez K, Jayachandran K, Zhang J, Schwarz J, Rahmatpanah F. Endogenous Retrovirus RNA Expression Differences between Race, Stage and HPV Status Offer Improved Prognostication among Women with Cervical Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:1492. [PMID: 36675007 PMCID: PMC9864224 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Endogenous human retroviruses (ERVs) are remnants of exogenous retroviruses that have integrated into the human genome. Using publicly available RNA-seq data from 63 cervical cancer patients, we investigated the expression of ERVs in cervical cancers. Four aspects of cervical cancer were investigated: patient ancestral background, tumor HPV type, tumor stage and patient survival. Between the racial subgroups, 74 ERVs were significantly differentially expressed, with Black Americans having 30 upregulated and 44 downregulated (including MER21C, HERV9-int, and HERVH-int) ERVs when compared to White Americans. We found that 3313 ERVs were differentially expressed between HPV subgroups, including MER41A, HERVH-int and HERVK9. There were 28 downregulated (including MLT1D and HERVH-int) and 61 upregulated (including MER41A) ERVs in locally advanced-stage compared to early-stage samples. Tissue microarrays of cervical cancer patients were used to investigate the protein expression of ERVs with protein coding potential (i.e., HERVK and ERV3). Significant differences in protein expression of ERV3 (p = 0.000905) were observed between early-stage and locally advanced-stage tumors. No significant differential expression at the protein level was found for HERVK7 (p = 0.243). We also investigated a prognostic model, supplementing a baseline prediction model using FIGO stage, age and HPV positivity with ERVs data. The expression levels of all ERVs in the HERVd were input into a Lasso-Cox proportional hazards model, developing a predictive 67-ERV panel. When ERVs expression levels were supplemented with the clinical data, a significant increase in prognostic power (p = 9.433 × 10-15) relative to that obtained with the clinical parameters alone (p = 0.06027) was observed. In summary, ERV RNA expression in cervical cancer tumors is significantly different among racial cohorts, HPV subgroups and disease stages. The combination of the expression of certain ERVs in cervical cancers with clinical factors significantly improved prognostication compared to clinical factors alone; therefore, ERVs may serve as future prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Novelty and Impact: When endogenous retroviral (ERV) expression signatures were combined with currently employed clinical prognosticators of relapse of cervical cancer, the combination outperformed prediction models based on clinical prognosticators alone. ERV expression signatures in tumor biopsies may therefore be useful to help identify patients at greater risk of recurrence. The novel ERV expression signatures or adjacent genes possibly impacted by ERV expression described here may also be targets for the development of future therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill Alldredge
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Vinay Kumar
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - James Nguyen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Brooke E. Sanders
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Karina Gomez
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Kay Jayachandran
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - Jin Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
- Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
- Institute for Informatics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - Julie Schwarz
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
- Institute for Informatics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - Farah Rahmatpanah
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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9
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Fan TJ, Cui J. Human Endogenous Retroviruses in Diseases. Subcell Biochem 2023; 106:403-439. [PMID: 38159236 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-40086-5_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), which are conserved sequences of ancient retroviruses, are widely distributed in the human genome. Although most HERVs have been rendered inactive by evolution, some have continued to exhibit important cytological functions. HERVs in the human genome perform dual functions: on the one hand, they are involved in important physiological processes such as placental development and immune regulation; on the other hand, their aberrant expression is closely associated with the pathological processes of several diseases, such as cancers, autoimmune diseases, and viral infections. HERVs can also regulate a variety of host cellular functions, including the expression of protein-coding genes and regulatory elements that have evolved from HERVs. Here, we present recent research on the roles of HERVs in viral infections and cancers, including the dysregulation of HERVs in various viral infections, HERV-induced epigenetic modifications of histones (such as methylation and acetylation), and the potential mechanisms of HERV-mediated antiviral immunity. We also describe therapies to improve the efficacy of vaccines and medications either by directly or indirectly targeting HERVs, depending on the HERV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian-Jiao Fan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology & Immunology, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Cui
- CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology & Immunology, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
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10
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Modulation of HERV Expression by Four Different Encephalitic Arboviruses during Infection of Human Primary Astrocytes. Viruses 2022; 14:v14112505. [PMID: 36423114 PMCID: PMC9694637 DOI: 10.3390/v14112505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Human retroelements (HERVs) are retroviral origin sequences fixed in the human genome. HERVs induction is associated with neurogenesis, cellular development, immune activation, and neurological disorders. Arboviruses are often associated with the development of encephalitis. The interplay between these viruses and HERVs has not been fully elucidated. In this work, we analyzed RNAseq data derived from infected human primary astrocytes by Zika (ZikV), Mayaro (MayV), Oropouche (OroV) and Chikungunya (ChikV) viruses, and evaluated the modulation of HERVs and their nearby genes. Our data show common HERVs expression modulation by both alphaviruses, suggesting conserved evolutionary routes of transcription regulation. A total of 15 HERVs were co-modulated by the four arboviruses, including the highly upregulated HERV4_4q22. Data on the upregulation of genes nearby to these elements in ChikV, MayV and OroV infections were also obtained, and interaction networks were built. The upregulation of 14 genes common among all viruses was observed in the networks, and 93 genes between MayV and ChikV. These genes are related to cellular processes such as cellular replication, cytoskeleton, cell vesicle traffic and antiviral response. Together, our results support the role of HERVs induction in the transcription regulation process of genes during arboviral infections.
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11
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Mo G, Wei P, Hu B, Nie Q, Zhang X. Advances on genetic and genomic studies of ALV resistance. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2022; 13:123. [PMID: 36217167 PMCID: PMC9550310 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-022-00769-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Avian leukosis (AL) is a general term for a variety of neoplastic diseases in avian caused by avian leukosis virus (ALV). No vaccine or drug is currently available for the disease. Therefore, the disease can result in severe economic losses in poultry flocks. Increasing the resistance of poultry to ALV may be one effective strategy. In this review, we provide an overview of the roles of genes associated with ALV infection in the poultry genome, including endogenous retroviruses, virus receptors, interferon-stimulated genes, and other immune-related genes. Furthermore, some methods and techniques that can improve ALV resistance in poultry are discussed. The objectives are willing to provide some valuable references for disease resistance breeding in poultry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guodong Mo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China.,Key Lab of Chicken Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China.,State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China
| | - Ping Wei
- Institute for Poultry Science and Health, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530001, Guangxi, China
| | - Bowen Hu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China.,Key Lab of Chicken Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China.,State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China
| | - Qinghua Nie
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China.,Key Lab of Chicken Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China.,State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiquan Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China. .,Key Lab of Chicken Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China. .,State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China.
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12
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Jacob S, Kapadia R, Soule T, Luo H, Schellenberg KL, Douville RN, Pfeffer G. Neuromuscular Complications of SARS-CoV-2 and Other Viral Infections. Front Neurol 2022; 13:914411. [PMID: 35812094 PMCID: PMC9263266 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.914411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In this article we review complications to the peripheral nervous system that occur as a consequence of viral infections, with a special focus on complications of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). We discuss neuromuscular complications in three broad categories; the direct consequences of viral infection, autoimmune neuromuscular disorders provoked by viral infections, and chronic neurodegenerative conditions which have been associated with viral infections. We also include discussion of neuromuscular disorders that are treated by immunomodulatory therapies, and how this affects patient susceptibility in the current context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. COVID-19 is associated with direct consequences to the peripheral nervous system via presumed direct viral injury (dysgeusia/anosmia, myalgias/rhabdomyolysis, and potentially mononeuritis multiplex) and autoimmunity (Guillain Barré syndrome and variants). It has important implications for people receiving immunomodulatory therapies who may be at greater risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19. Thus far, chronic post-COVID syndromes (a.k.a: long COVID) also include possible involvement of the neuromuscular system. Whether we may observe neuromuscular degenerative conditions in the longer term will be an important question to monitor in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Jacob
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Ronak Kapadia
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Tyler Soule
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Honglin Luo
- Centre for Heart and Lung Innovation, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kerri L. Schellenberg
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Renée N. Douville
- Division of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Biology, Albrechtsen St. Boniface Research Centre, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Gerald Pfeffer
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, Alberta Child Health Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- *Correspondence: Gerald Pfeffer
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13
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Dai M, Xie T, Feng M, Zhang X. Endogenous retroviruses transcriptomes in response to four avian pathogenic microorganisms infection in chicken. Genomics 2022; 114:110371. [PMID: 35462029 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2022.110371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The impact of Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) on chicken disease is not well understood. Here, we systematically identified 436 relatively complete ChERVs from the chicken genome. Subsequently, ChERV transcriptomes were analyzed in chicken after subgroup J avian leukosis virus (ALV-J), avian influenza virus (AIV), Marek's disease virus (MDV) and avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) infection. We found that about 50%-68% of ChERVs were transcriptionally active in infected and uninfected-samples, although the abundance of most ChERVs is relatively low. Moreover, compared to uninfected-samples, 49, 18, 66 and 17 ChERVs were significantly differentially expressed in ALV-J, AIV, MDV and APEC infected-samples, respectively. These findings may be of significance for understanding the role and function of ChERVs to response the pathogenic microorganism infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manman Dai
- National and Regional Joint Engineering Laboratory for Medicament of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Tingting Xie
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, Key Lab of Chicken Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Min Feng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, Key Lab of Chicken Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
| | - Xiquan Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, Key Lab of Chicken Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
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14
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Ngarka L, Siewe Fodjo JN, Aly E, Masocha W, Njamnshi AK. The Interplay Between Neuroinfections, the Immune System and Neurological Disorders: A Focus on Africa. Front Immunol 2022; 12:803475. [PMID: 35095888 PMCID: PMC8792387 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.803475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurological disorders related to neuroinfections are highly prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), constituting a major cause of disability and economic burden for patients and society. These include epilepsy, dementia, motor neuron diseases, headache disorders, sleep disorders, and peripheral neuropathy. The highest prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is in SSA. Consequently, there is a high prevalence of neurological disorders associated with HIV infection such as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders, motor disorders, chronic headaches, and peripheral neuropathy in the region. The pathogenesis of these neurological disorders involves the direct role of the virus, some antiretroviral treatments, and the dysregulated immune system. Furthermore, the high prevalence of epilepsy in SSA (mainly due to perinatal causes) is exacerbated by infections such as toxoplasmosis, neurocysticercosis, onchocerciasis, malaria, bacterial meningitis, tuberculosis, and the immune reactions they elicit. Sleep disorders are another common problem in the region and have been associated with infectious diseases such as human African trypanosomiasis and HIV and involve the activation of the immune system. While most headache disorders are due to benign primary headaches, some secondary headaches are caused by infections (meningitis, encephalitis, brain abscess). HIV and neurosyphilis, both common in SSA, can trigger long-standing immune activation in the central nervous system (CNS) potentially resulting in dementia. Despite the progress achieved in preventing diseases from the poliovirus and retroviruses, these microbes may cause motor neuron diseases in SSA. The immune mechanisms involved in these neurological disorders include increased cytokine levels, immune cells infiltration into the CNS, and autoantibodies. This review focuses on the major neurological disorders relevant to Africa and neuroinfections highly prevalent in SSA, describes the interplay between neuroinfections, immune system, neuroinflammation, and neurological disorders, and how understanding this can be exploited for the development of novel diagnostics and therapeutics for improved patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonard Ngarka
- Brain Research Africa Initiative (BRAIN), Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Neuroscience Lab, Faculty of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, The University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Department of Neurology, Yaoundé Central Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Joseph Nelson Siewe Fodjo
- Brain Research Africa Initiative (BRAIN), Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Global Health Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Esraa Aly
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kuwait University, Safat, Kuwait
| | - Willias Masocha
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kuwait University, Safat, Kuwait
| | - Alfred K. Njamnshi
- Brain Research Africa Initiative (BRAIN), Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Neuroscience Lab, Faculty of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, The University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Department of Neurology, Yaoundé Central Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon
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15
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Durnaoglu S, Lee SK, Ahnn J. Human Endogenous Retroviruses as Gene Expression Regulators: Insights from Animal Models into Human Diseases. Mol Cells 2021; 44:861-878. [PMID: 34963103 PMCID: PMC8718366 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2021.5016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The human genome contains many retroviral elements called human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), resulting from the integration of retroviruses throughout evolution. HERVs once were considered inactive junk because they are not replication-competent, primarily localized in the heterochromatin, and silenced by methylation. But HERVs are now clearly shown to actively regulate gene expression in various physiological and pathological conditions such as developmental processes, immune regulation, cancers, autoimmune diseases, and neurological disorders. Recent studies report that HERVs are activated in patients suffering from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the current pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) infection. In this review, we describe internal and external factors that influence HERV activities. We also present evidence showing the gene regulatory activity of HERV LTRs (long terminal repeats) in model organisms such as mice, rats, zebrafish, and invertebrate models of worms and flies. Finally, we discuss several molecular and cellular pathways involving various transcription factors and receptors, through which HERVs affect downstream cellular and physiological events such as epigenetic modifications, calcium influx, protein phosphorylation, and cytokine release. Understanding how HERVs participate in various physiological and pathological processes will help develop a strategy to generate effective therapeutic approaches targeting HERVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serpen Durnaoglu
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
- Research Institute for Natural Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
| | - Sun-Kyung Lee
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
- Research Institute for Natural Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
| | - Joohong Ahnn
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
- Research Institute for Natural Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
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16
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A Comprehensive Analysis of Human Endogenous Retroviruses HERV-K (HML.2) from Teratocarcinoma Cell Lines and Detection of Viral Cargo in Microvesicles. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222212398. [PMID: 34830279 PMCID: PMC8619701 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
About 8% of our genome is composed of sequences from Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs). The HERV-K (HML.2) family, here abbreviated HML.2, is able to produce virus particles that were detected in cell lines, malignant tumors and in autoimmune diseases. Parameters and properties of HML.2 released from teratocarcinoma cell lines GH and Tera-1 were investigated in detail. In most experiments, analyzed viruses were purified by density gradient centrifugation. HML.2 structural proteins, reverse transcriptase (RT) activity, viral RNA (vRNA) and particle morphology were analyzed. The HML.2 markers were predominantly detected in fractions with a buoyant density of 1.16 g/cm3. Deglycosylation of TM revealed truncated forms of transmembrane (TM) protein. Free virions and extracellular vesicles (presumably microvesicles—MVs) with HML.2 elements, including budding intermediates, were detected by electron microscopy. Viral elements and assembled virions captured and exported by MVs can boost specific immune responses and trigger immunomodulation in recipient cells. Sequencing of cDNA clones demonstrated exclusive presence of HERV-K108 env in HML.2 from Tera-1 cells. Not counting two recombinant variants, four known env sequences were found in HML.2 from GH cells. Obtained results shed light on parameters and morphology of HML.2. A possible mechanism of HML.2-induced diseases is discussed.
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17
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Shah AH, Gilbert M, Ivan ME, Komotar RJ, Heiss J, Nath A. The role of human endogenous retroviruses in gliomas: from etiological perspectives and therapeutic implications. Neuro Oncol 2021; 23:1647-1655. [PMID: 34120190 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noab142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Accounting for approximately 8% of the human genome, Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs) have been implicated in a variety of cancers including gliomas. In normal cells, tight epigenetic regulation of HERVs prevent aberrant expression; however, in cancer cells, HERVs expression remains pervasive, suggesting a role of HERVs in oncogenic transformation. HERVs may contribute to oncogenesis in several ways including insertional mutagenesis, chromosomal rearrangements, proto-oncogene formation, and maintenance of stemness. On the other hand, recent data has suggested that reversing epigenetic silencing of HERVs may induce robust anti-tumor immune responses, suggesting HERVs' potential therapeutic utility in gliomas. By reversing epigenetic modifications that silence HERVs, DNA methyltransferase and histone deacetylase inhibitors may stimulate a viral-mimicry cascade via HERV-derived dsRNA formation that induce interferon-mediated apoptosis. Leveraging this anti-tumor autoimmune response may be a unique avenue to target certain subsets of epigenetically-dysregulated gliomas. Nevertheless, the role of HERVs in gliomas as either arbitrators of oncogenesis or forerunners of the innate anti-tumor immune response remains unclear. Here, we review the role of HERVs in gliomas, their potential dichotomous function in propagating oncogenesis and stimulating the anti-tumor immune response and identify future directions for research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish H Shah
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
| | - Mark Gilbert
- Neuro-oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Health
| | - Michael E Ivan
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
| | - Ricardo J Komotar
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
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18
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Srinivasachar Badarinarayan S, Sauter D. Switching Sides: How Endogenous Retroviruses Protect Us from Viral Infections. J Virol 2021; 95:e02299-20. [PMID: 33883223 PMCID: PMC8315955 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02299-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Long disregarded as junk DNA or genomic dark matter, endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) have turned out to represent important components of the antiviral immune response. These remnants of once-infectious retroviruses not only regulate cellular immune activation, but may even directly target invading viral pathogens. In this Gem, we summarize mechanisms by which retroviral fossils protect us from viral infections. One focus will be on recent advances in the role of ERVs as regulators of antiviral gene expression.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Endogenous Retroviruses/genetics
- Endogenous Retroviruses/physiology
- Enhancer Elements, Genetic
- Gene Expression Regulation
- Humans
- Immunity, Cellular
- Promoter Regions, Genetic
- RNA, Double-Stranded/genetics
- RNA, Double-Stranded/metabolism
- RNA, Long Noncoding/genetics
- RNA, Long Noncoding/metabolism
- RNA, Viral/genetics
- RNA, Viral/metabolism
- Receptors, Pattern Recognition/metabolism
- Receptors, Virus/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptors, Virus/metabolism
- Retroelements
- Viral Proteins/metabolism
- Virion/metabolism
- Virus Diseases/genetics
- Virus Diseases/immunology
- Virus Diseases/virology
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Affiliation(s)
- Smitha Srinivasachar Badarinarayan
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
- Institute for Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, University Hospital Tübingen, Germany
| | - Daniel Sauter
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
- Institute for Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, University Hospital Tübingen, Germany
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19
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Human Endogenous Retroviruses as Biomedicine Markers. Virol Sin 2021; 36:852-858. [PMID: 33905075 DOI: 10.1007/s12250-021-00387-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) were formed via ancient integration of exogenous retroviruses into the human genome and are considered to be viral "fossils". The human genome is embedded with a considerable amount of HERVs, witnessing the long-term evolutionary history of the viruses and the host. Most HERVs have lost coding capability during selection but still function in terms of HERV-mediated regulation of host gene expression. In this review, we summarize the roles of HERV activation in response to viral infections and diseases, and emphasize the potential use of HERVs as biomedicine markers in the early diagnosis of diseases such as cancer, which provides a new perspective for the clinical application of HERVs.
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20
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Srinivasachar Badarinarayan S, Shcherbakova I, Langer S, Koepke L, Preising A, Hotter D, Kirchhoff F, Sparrer KMJ, Schotta G, Sauter D. HIV-1 infection activates endogenous retroviral promoters regulating antiviral gene expression. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:10890-10908. [PMID: 33021676 PMCID: PMC7641743 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are known to harbor cis-regulatory elements, their role in modulating cellular immune responses remains poorly understood. Using an RNA-seq approach, we show that several members of the ERV9 lineage, particularly LTR12C elements, are activated upon HIV-1 infection of primary CD4+ T cells. Intriguingly, HIV-1-induced ERVs harboring transcription start sites are primarily found in the vicinity of immunity genes. For example, HIV-1 infection activates LTR12C elements upstream of the interferon-inducible genes GBP2 and GBP5 that encode for broad-spectrum antiviral factors. Reporter assays demonstrated that these LTR12C elements drive gene expression in primary CD4+ T cells. In line with this, HIV-1 infection triggered the expression of a unique GBP2 transcript variant by activating a cryptic transcription start site within LTR12C. Furthermore, stimulation with HIV-1-induced cytokines increased GBP2 and GBP5 expression in human cells, but not in macaque cells that naturally lack the GBP5 gene and the LTR12C element upstream of GBP2. Finally, our findings suggest that GBP2 and GBP5 have already been active against ancient viral pathogens as they suppress the maturation of the extinct retrovirus HERV-K (HML-2). In summary, our findings uncover how human cells can exploit remnants of once-infectious retroviruses to regulate antiviral gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Irina Shcherbakova
- Molecular Biology Division, Biomedical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried 82152, Germany
| | - Simon Langer
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm 89081, Germany.,Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Lennart Koepke
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Andrea Preising
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Dominik Hotter
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Frank Kirchhoff
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | | | - Gunnar Schotta
- Molecular Biology Division, Biomedical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried 82152, Germany
| | - Daniel Sauter
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm 89081, Germany
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21
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O'Carroll IP, Fan L, Kroupa T, McShane EK, Theodore C, Yates EA, Kondrup B, Ding J, Martin TS, Rein A, Wang YX. Structural Mimicry Drives HIV-1 Rev-Mediated HERV-K Expression. J Mol Biol 2020; 432:166711. [PMID: 33197463 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2020.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Expression of the Human Endogenous Retrovirus Type K (HERV-K), the youngest and most active HERV, has been associated with various cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. As in all retroviruses, a fraction of HERV-K transcripts is exported from the nucleus in unspliced or incompletely spliced forms to serve as templates for translation of viral proteins. In a fraction of HERV-K loci (Type 2 proviruses), nuclear export of the unspliced HERV-K mRNA appears to be mediated by a cis-acting signal on the mRNA, the RcRE, and the protein Rec-these are analogous to the RRE-Rev system in HIV-1. Interestingly, the HIV-1 Rev protein is able to mediate the nuclear export of the HERV-K RcRE, contributing to elevated HERV-K expression in HIV-infected patients. We aimed to understand the structural basis for HIV Rev-HERV-K RcRE recognition. We examined the conformation of the RcRE RNA in solution using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). We found that the 433-nt long RcRE can assume folded or extended conformations as observed by AFM. SAXS analysis of a truncated RcRE variant revealed an "A"-shaped topological structure similar to the one previously reported for the HIV-1 RRE. The effect of the overall topology was examined using several deletion variants. SAXS and biochemical analyses demonstrated that the "A" shape is necessary for efficient Rev-RcRE complex formation in vitro and nuclear export activity in cell culture. The findings provide insight into the mechanism of HERV-K expression and a structural explanation for HIV-1 Rev-mediated expression of HERV-K in HIV-infected patients. IMPORTANCE: Expression of the human endogenous retrovirus type K (HERV-K) has been associated with various cancers and autoimmune diseases. Nuclear export of both HIV-1 and HERV-K mRNAs is dependent on the interaction between a small viral protein (Rev in HIV-1 and Rec in HERV-K) and a region on the mRNA (RRE in HIV-1 and RcRE in HERV-K). HIV-1 Rev is able to mediate the nuclear export of RcRE-containing HERV-K mRNAs, which contributes to elevated production of HERV-K proteins in HIV-infected patients. We report the solution conformation of the RcRE RNA-the first three-dimensional topological structure for a HERV molecule-and find that the RcRE resembles the HIV-1 nuclear export signal, RRE. The finding reveals the structural basis for the increased HERV-K expression observed in HIV-infected patients. Elevated HERV expression, mediated by HIV infection or other stressors, can have various HERV-related biological consequences. The findings provide structural insight for regulation of HERV-K expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ina P O'Carroll
- Department of Chemistry, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD 21402, USA.
| | - Lixin Fan
- Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, SAXS Core Facility of the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Tomáš Kroupa
- HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Erin K McShane
- Department of Chemistry, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD 21402, USA
| | - Christophe Theodore
- Department of Chemistry, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD 21402, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Yates
- Department of Chemistry, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD 21402, USA
| | - Benjamin Kondrup
- Department of Chemistry, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD 21402, USA
| | - Jienyu Ding
- Protein-Nucleic Acid Interaction Section, Structural Biophysics Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Tyler S Martin
- Department of Chemistry, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD 21402, USA
| | - Alan Rein
- HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Yun-Xing Wang
- Protein-Nucleic Acid Interaction Section, Structural Biophysics Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
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22
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Curty G, Beckerle GA, Iñiguez LP, Furler RL, de Carvalho PS, Marston JL, Champiat S, Heymann JJ, Ormsby CE, Reyes-Terán G, Soares MA, Nixon DF, Bendall ML, Leal FE, de Mulder Rougvie M. Human Endogenous Retrovirus Expression Is Upregulated in the Breast Cancer Microenvironment of HIV Infected Women: A Pilot Study. Front Oncol 2020; 10:553983. [PMID: 33194615 PMCID: PMC7649802 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.553983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In people living with HIV (PLWH), chronic inflammation can lead to cancer initiation and progression, besides driving a dysregulated and diminished immune responsiveness. HIV infection also leads to increased transcription of Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs), which could increase an inflammatory environment and create a tumor growth suppressive environment with high expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In order to determine the impact of HIV infection to HERV expression on the breast cancer microenvironment, we sequenced total RNA from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) breast cancer samples of women HIV-negative and HIV-positive for transcriptome and retrotranscriptome analyses. We performed RNA extraction from FFPE samples, library preparation and total RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). The RNA-seq analysis shows 185 differentially expressed genes: 181 host genes (178 upregulated and three downregulated) and four upregulated HERV transcripts in HIV-positive samples. We also explored the impact of HERV expression in its neighboring breast cancer development genes (BRCA1, CCND1, NBS1/NBN, RAD50, KRAS, PI3K/PIK3CA) and in long non-coding RNA expression (AC060780.1, also known as RP11-242D8.1). We found a significant positive association of HERV expression with RAD50 and with AC060780.1, which suggest a possible role of HERV in regulating breast cancer genes from PLWH with breast cancer. In addition, we found immune system, extracellular matrix organization and metabolic signaling genes upregulated in HIV-positive breast cancer. In conclusion, our findings provide evidence of transcriptional and retrotranscriptional changes in breast cancer from PLWH compared to non-HIV breast cancer, including dysregulation of HERVs, suggesting an indirect effect of the virus on the breast cancer microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gislaine Curty
- Oncovirology Program, Instituto Nacional de Câncer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Greta A Beckerle
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Luis P Iñiguez
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Robert L Furler
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Jez L Marston
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Stephane Champiat
- Drug Development Department (DITEP), Gustave Roussy, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
| | - Jonas J Heymann
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Christopher E Ormsby
- Center for Research in Infectious Diseases (CIENI), National Institute of Respiratory Diseases (INER), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Gustavo Reyes-Terán
- Center for Research in Infectious Diseases (CIENI), National Institute of Respiratory Diseases (INER), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Marcelo A Soares
- Oncovirology Program, Instituto Nacional de Câncer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Douglas F Nixon
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Matthew L Bendall
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Fabio E Leal
- Oncovirology Program, Instituto Nacional de Câncer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Miguel de Mulder Rougvie
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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23
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Salavatiha Z, Soleimani-Jelodar R, Jalilvand S. The role of endogenous retroviruses-K in human cancer. Rev Med Virol 2020; 30:1-13. [PMID: 32734655 DOI: 10.1002/rmv.2142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
It is known that human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) constitute almost 8% of the human genome. Although the expression of HERVs from the human genome is tightly regulated, different exogenous and endogenous factors could trigger HERV activation. Aberrant expression of different HERVs may potentially cause a variety of diseases such as neurological and autoimmune diseases as well as cancer. It is suggested that HERV-K can induce cancer through different mechanisms that are discussed. The interplay between some tumor viruses and HERV-K seems to be a key player in progression of viral-associated cancers because elevated levels of Rec and Np9 proteins are observed in several cancers. The frequent over expression of HERV proteins and some specific antibodies in cancer cells could be considered as suitable prognostic and therapeutic biomarkers in diagnosis and treatment of cancers. The expression of HERV proteins in cancers and development of immune responses against them may also be used as targets for cancer immunotherapy. Further studies are warranted to evaluate the role of HERVs in cancer formation and use of different HERV proteins in developing new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for cancer treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Salavatiha
- Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Rahim Soleimani-Jelodar
- Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Somayeh Jalilvand
- Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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24
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Comprehensive Analysis of HERV Transcriptome in HIV+ Cells: Absence of HML2 Activation and General Downregulation of Individual HERV Loci. Viruses 2020; 12:v12040481. [PMID: 32340287 PMCID: PMC7232394 DOI: 10.3390/v12040481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) expression is currently studied for its possible activation by HIV infection. In this context, the HERV-K(HML2) group is the most investigated: it has been proposed that HIV-1 infection can prompt HML2 transcription, and that HML2 proteins can affect HIV-1 replication, either complementing HIV or possibly influencing antiretroviral therapy. However, little information is available on the expression of other HERV groups in HIV infection. In the present study, we used a bioinformatics pipeline to investigate the transcriptional modulation of approximately 3250 well-characterized HERV loci, comparing their expression in a public RNA-seq profile, including a HIV-1-infected and a control T cell culture. In our pilot study, we found approximately 200 HERV loci belonging to 35 HERV groups that were expressed in one or both conditions, with transcripts per million (TPM) values from 1 to >500. Intriguingly, HML2 elements constituted only the 3% of expressed HERV loci, and in most cases (160) HERV expression was downregulated in the HIV-infected culture, showing from a 1- to 14-fold decrease as compared to uninfected cells. HERV transcriptome has been inferred de novo and employed to predict a total of about 950 HERV open reading frames (ORFs). These have been validated according to the coding potential and estimated abundance of the corresponding transcripts, leading to a set of 57 putative proteins potentially encoded by 23 HERV loci. Analysis showed that some individual loci have a coding potential that deserves further investigation. Among them, a HML6 provirus at locus 19q13.43 was predicted to produce a transcript showing the highest TPM among HERV-derived transcripts, being upregulated in HIV+ cells and inferred to produce Gag and Env puteins with possible biological activity.
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25
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Alcazer V, Bonaventura P, Depil S. Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs): Shaping the Innate Immune Response in Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12030610. [PMID: 32155827 PMCID: PMC7139688 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12030610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs) are accounting for 8% of the human genome. These sequences are remnants from ancient germline infections by exogenous retroviruses. After million years of evolution and multiple integrations, HERVs have acquired many damages rendering them defective. At steady state, HERVs are mostly localized in the heterochromatin and silenced by methylation. Multiple conditions have been described to induce their reactivation, including auto-immune diseases and cancers. HERVs re-expression leads to RNA (simple and double-stranded) and DNA production (by reverse transcription), modulating the innate immune response. Some studies also argue for a role of HERVs in shaping the evolution of innate immunity, notably in the development of the interferon response. However, their exact role in the innate immune response, particularly in cancer, remains to be defined. In this review, we see how HERVs could be key-players in mounting an antitumor immune response. After a brief introduction on HERVs characteristics and biology, we review the different mechanisms by which HERVs can interact with the immune system, with a focus on the innate response. We then discuss the potential impact of HERVs expression on the innate immune response in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Alcazer
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69008 Lyon, France
- Department of Clinical Hematology, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69310 Pierre-Bénite, France
- Correspondence: (V.A.); (S.D.)
| | - Paola Bonaventura
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69008 Lyon, France
- Centre Léon Bérard, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - Stephane Depil
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69008 Lyon, France
- Centre Léon Bérard, 69008 Lyon, France
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69008 Lyon, France
- ErVaccine Technologies, 69008 Lyon, France
- Correspondence: (V.A.); (S.D.)
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26
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Wang M, Qiu Y, Liu H, Liang B, Fan B, Zhou X, Liu D. Transcription profile of human endogenous retroviruses in response to dengue virus serotype 2 infection. Virology 2020; 544:21-30. [PMID: 32174511 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2020.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), the remains of retroviruses infection in our ancestors' germline cell over millions of years, take up about 8% of the human genome in total. HERV transcription has been detected in various cancers and diseases. However, the interaction between HERV expression and viral infection has not been fully elucidated. Here, we provided the first transcriptional profile of HERVs in dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2) infected A549 cells by using high-throughput RNA sequencing. The results showed that a number of HERVs and human genes were significantly differentially expressed in response to DENV-2 infection. Further bioinformatic analyses indicated a correlation between HERVs and human genes. In particular, the genes near the HERVs activated by dengue infection were dominantly enriched in the antiviral immune response. Taken together, our findings suggest that activated HERVs may be involved in the cellular immune response to viral infection by coexpressing with nearby host genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; Computational Virology Group, Center for Bacteria and Viruses Resources and Bioinformation, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yang Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Haizhou Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; Computational Virology Group, Center for Bacteria and Viruses Resources and Bioinformation, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Bilin Liang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; Computational Virology Group, Center for Bacteria and Viruses Resources and Bioinformation, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Baofeng Fan
- Airforce Medical Center, PLA, Beijing, 100142, China
| | - Xi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Di Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; Computational Virology Group, Center for Bacteria and Viruses Resources and Bioinformation, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, 830054, China.
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27
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Gray LR, Jackson RE, Jackson PEH, Bekiranov S, Rekosh D, Hammarskjöld ML. HIV-1 Rev interacts with HERV-K RcREs present in the human genome and promotes export of unspliced HERV-K proviral RNA. Retrovirology 2019; 16:40. [PMID: 31842941 PMCID: PMC6916052 DOI: 10.1186/s12977-019-0505-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The HERV-K (HML-2) viruses are the youngest of the human endogenous retroviruses. They are present as several almost complete proviral copies and numerous fragments in the human genome. Many HERV-K proviruses express a regulatory protein Rec, which binds to an element present in HERV-K mRNAs called the RcRE. This interaction is necessary for the nucleo-cytoplasmic export and expression of HERV-K mRNAs that retain introns and plays a role analogous to that of Rev and the RRE in HIV replication. There are over 900 HERV-K RcREs distributed throughout the human genome. Thus, it was of interest to determine if Rev could functionally interact with selected RcRE elements that map either to HERV-K proviruses or human gene regions. This interaction would have the potential to alter the expression of both HERV-K mRNAs and cellular mRNAs during HIV-1 infection. RESULTS In this study we employed a combination of RNAseq, bioinformatics and cell-based functional assays. Potential RcREs were identified through a number of bioinformatic approaches. They were then tested for their ability to promote export and translation of a reporter mRNA with a retained intron in conjunction with Rev or Rec. Some of the selected elements functioned well with either Rev, Rec or both, whereas some showed little or no function. Rev function on individual RcREs varied and was also dependent on the Rev sequence. We also performed RNAseq on total and cytoplasmic RNA isolated from SupT1 cells expressing HIV Rev, with or without Tat, or HERV-K Rec. Proviral mRNA from three HERV-K loci (4p16.1b, 22q11.23 and most significantly 3q12.3) accumulated in the cytoplasm in the presence of Rev or Tat and Rev, but not Rec. Consistent with this, the 3' RcRE from 3q12.3 functioned well with HIV-Rev in our reporter assay. In contrast, this RcRE showed little or no function with Rec. CONCLUSIONS The HIV Rev protein can functionally interact with many RcREs present in the human genome, depending on the RcRE sequence, as well as the Rev sequence. This leads to export of some of the HERV-K proviral mRNAs and also has the potential to change the expression of non-viral genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurie R Gray
- Myles H. Thaler Center for AIDS and Human Retrovirus Research and the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, 22908, USA
| | - Rachel E Jackson
- Myles H. Thaler Center for AIDS and Human Retrovirus Research and the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, 22908, USA
| | - Patrick E H Jackson
- Myles H. Thaler Center for AIDS and Human Retrovirus Research and the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, 22908, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, 22908, USA
| | - Stefan Bekiranov
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, 22908, USA
| | - David Rekosh
- Myles H. Thaler Center for AIDS and Human Retrovirus Research and the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, 22908, USA
| | - Marie-Louise Hammarskjöld
- Myles H. Thaler Center for AIDS and Human Retrovirus Research and the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, 22908, USA.
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28
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Chan SM, Sapir T, Park SS, Rual JF, Contreras-Galindo R, Reiner O, Markovitz DM. The HERV-K accessory protein Np9 controls viability and migration of teratocarcinoma cells. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0212970. [PMID: 30818388 PMCID: PMC6394991 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses are remnants of ancient germline infections that make up approximately 8% of the modern human genome. The HERV-K (HML-2) family is one of the most recent entrants into the human germline, these viruses appear to be transcriptionally active, and HERV-K viral like particles (VLPs) are found in cell lines from a number of human malignancies. HERV-K VLPs were first found to be produced in teratocarcinoma cell lines, and since then teratocarcinoma has been thought of as the classical model for HERV-Ks, with the NCCIT teratocarcinoma cell line particularly known to produce VLPs. Treatment for teratocarcinoma has progressed since its discovery, with improved prognosis for patients. Since the introduction of platinum based therapy, first year survival has greatly improved even with disseminated disease; however, it is estimated that 20% to 30% of patients present with metastatic germ cell tumor relapse following initial treatments. Also, the toxicity associated with the use of chemotherapeutic agents used to treat germ cell tumors is still a major concern. In this study, we show that the depletion of the HERV-K accessory protein Np9 increases the sensitivity of NCCIT teratocarcinoma cells to bleomycin and cisplatin. While decreasing the expression of Np9 had only a modest effect on the baseline viability of the cells, the reduced expression of Np9 increased the sensitivity of the teratocarcinoma cells to environmental (serum starvation) and chemical (chemotherapeutic) stresses. Np9 is also essential to the migration of NCCIT teratocarcinoma cells: in a wound closure assay, reduced expression of Np9 resulted in cells migrating into the wound at a slower rate, whereas reintroduction of Np9 resulted in NCCIT cells migrating back into the wound in a manner similar to the control. These findings support the implication that the HERV-K accessory protein Np9 has oncogenic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana M. Chan
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Tamar Sapir
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Sung-Soo Park
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Jean-François Rual
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Rafael Contreras-Galindo
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Orly Reiner
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - David M. Markovitz
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Graduate Program in Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Cancer Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
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29
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Broecker F, Moelling K. Evolution of Immune Systems From Viruses and Transposable Elements. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:51. [PMID: 30761103 PMCID: PMC6361761 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Virus-derived sequences and transposable elements constitute a substantial portion of many cellular genomes. Recent insights reveal the intimate evolutionary relationship between these sequences and various cellular immune pathways. At the most basic level, superinfection exclusion may be considered a prototypical virus-mediated immune system that has been described in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. More complex immune mechanisms fully or partially derived from mobile genetic elements include CRISPR-Cas of prokaryotes and the RAG1/2 system of vertebrates, which provide immunological memory of foreign genetic elements and generate antibody and T cell receptor diversity, respectively. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the contribution of mobile genetic elements to the evolution of cellular immune pathways. A picture is emerging in which the various cellular immune systems originate from and are spread by viruses and transposable elements. Immune systems likely evolved from simple superinfection exclusion to highly complex defense strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Broecker
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Karin Moelling
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
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30
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Zhang M, Liang JQ, Zheng S. Expressional activation and functional roles of human endogenous retroviruses in cancers. Rev Med Virol 2019; 29:e2025. [PMID: 30614117 PMCID: PMC6590502 DOI: 10.1002/rmv.2025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are widely believed to be remnants of ancestral germ line infections by exogenous retroviruses. Although HERVs are deemed as “nonfunctional DNAs” due to loss of most of their viral protein coding capacity during evolution as part of the human genome, cumulative evidences are showing the expressional activation and potential roles of HERVs in diseases especially cancers. Work by other researchers and us has observed the dysregulation of HERVs in cancers, identified new HERV‐related genes, and revealed their potential importance in cancer development. Here, we summarized the current knowledge on the mechanisms of the expressional activation and functional roles of HERVs, with a focus on the H family HERV (HERV‐H), in carcinogenesis. HERV expression is regulated by external chemical or physical substances and exogenous virus infection, as well as host factors such as epigenetic DNA methylation, transcription factors, cytokines, and small RNAs. Diverse roles of HERVs have been proposed by acting in the forms of noncoding RNAs, proteins, and transcriptional regulators during carcinogenesis. However, much remains to be learnt about the contributions of HERVs to human cancers. More investigation is warranted to elucidate the functions of these “fossil remnants” yet important viral DNAs in the human genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengwen Zhang
- The Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Institute, Second Affiliated Hospital, and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jessie Qiaoyi Liang
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Shu Zheng
- Cancer Institute, Second Affiliated Hospital, and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,The Department of surgical oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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31
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Maze EA, Ham C, Kelly J, Ussher L, Almond N, Towers GJ, Berry N, Belshaw R. Variable Baseline Papio cynocephalus Endogenous Retrovirus (PcEV) Expression Is Upregulated in Acutely SIV-Infected Macaques and Correlated to STAT1 Expression in the Spleen. Front Immunol 2019; 10:901. [PMID: 31156613 PMCID: PMC6529565 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Retroviral replication leaves a DNA copy in the host cell chromosome, which over millions of years of infection of germline cells has led to 5% of the human genome sequence being comprised of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), distributed throughout an estimated 100,000 loci. Over time these loci have accrued mutations such as premature stop codons that prevent continued replication. However, many loci remain both transcriptionally and translationally active and ERVs have been implicated in interacting with the host immune system. Using archived plasma and tissue samples from past macaque studies, experimentally infected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), the expression of one macaque ERV in response to acute viral infection was explored together with a measure of the innate immune response. Specifically, RNA levels were determined for (a) Papio cynocephalus Endogenous Retrovirus (PcEV), an ERV (b) STAT1, a key gene in the interferon signaling pathway, and (c) SIV, an exogenous pathogen. Bioinformatic analysis of DNA sequences of the PcEV loci within the macaque reference genome revealed the presence of open reading frames (ORFs) consistent with potential protein expression but not ERV replication. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis of DNase-treated RNA extracts from plasma derived from acute SIV-infection detected PcEV RNA at low levels in 7 of 22 macaques. PcEV RNA levels were significantly elevated in PBMC and spleen samples recovered during acute SIV infection, but not in the thymus and lymph nodes. A strong positive correlation was identified between PcEV and STAT1 RNA levels in spleen samples recovered from SIV-positive macaques. One possibility is that SIV infection induces PcEV expression in infected lymphoid tissue that contributes to induction of an antiviral response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Atangana Maze
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom.,Division of Infectious Disease Diagnostics, National Institute of Standards and Control (NIBSC), Potters Bar, United Kingdom
| | - Claire Ham
- Division of Infectious Disease Diagnostics, National Institute of Standards and Control (NIBSC), Potters Bar, United Kingdom
| | - Jack Kelly
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Lindsay Ussher
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Neil Almond
- Division of Infectious Disease Diagnostics, National Institute of Standards and Control (NIBSC), Potters Bar, United Kingdom
| | - Greg J Towers
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Neil Berry
- Division of Infectious Disease Diagnostics, National Institute of Standards and Control (NIBSC), Potters Bar, United Kingdom
| | - Robert Belshaw
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
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32
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Lyon MS, Wosiski-Kuhn M, Gillespie R, Caress J, Milligan C. Inflammation, Immunity, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: I. Etiology and pathology. Muscle Nerve 2018; 59:10-22. [DOI: 10.1002/mus.26289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Miles S. Lyon
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy; Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard; Winston-Salem North Carolina 27157 USA
| | - Marlena Wosiski-Kuhn
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy; Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard; Winston-Salem North Carolina 27157 USA
| | - Rachel Gillespie
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy; Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard; Winston-Salem North Carolina 27157 USA
| | - James Caress
- Department of Neurology, Wake Forest School of Medicine; Winston-Salem North Carolina USA
| | - Carol Milligan
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy; Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard; Winston-Salem North Carolina 27157 USA
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33
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Garcia-Montojo M, Doucet-O'Hare T, Henderson L, Nath A. Human endogenous retrovirus-K (HML-2): a comprehensive review. Crit Rev Microbiol 2018; 44:715-738. [PMID: 30318978 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2018.1501345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The human genome contains a large number of retroviral elements acquired over the process of evolution, some of which are specific to primates. However, as many of these are defective or silenced through epigenetic changes, they were historically considered "junk DNA" and their potential role in human physiology or pathological circumstances have been poorly studied. The most recently acquired, human endogenous retrovirus-K (HERV-K), has multiple copies in the human genome and some of them have complete open reading frames that are transcribed and translated, especially in early embryogenesis. Phylogenetically, HERV-K is considered a supergroup of viruses. One of the subtypes, termed HML-2, seems to be the most active and hence, it is the best studied. Aberrant expression of HML-2 in adult tissues has been associated with certain types of cancer and with neurodegenerative diseases. This review discusses the discovery of these viruses, their classification, structure, regulation and potential for replication, physiological roles, and their involvement in disease pathogenesis. Finally, it presents different therapeutic approaches being considered to target these viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Garcia-Montojo
- a Section of Infections of the Nervous System , National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda , MD , USA
| | - Tara Doucet-O'Hare
- a Section of Infections of the Nervous System , National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda , MD , USA
| | - Lisa Henderson
- a Section of Infections of the Nervous System , National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda , MD , USA
| | - Avindra Nath
- a Section of Infections of the Nervous System , National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda , MD , USA
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Matteucci C, Balestrieri E, Argaw-Denboba A, Sinibaldi-Vallebona P. Human endogenous retroviruses role in cancer cell stemness. Semin Cancer Biol 2018; 53:17-30. [PMID: 30317035 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2018.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Revised: 09/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cancer incidence and mortality, metastasis, drug resistance and recurrence are still the critical issues of oncological diseases. In this scenario, increasing scientific evidences demonstrate that the activation of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) is involved in the aggressiveness of tumors such as melanoma, breast, germ cell, renal, ovarian, liver and haematological cancers. In their dynamic regulation, HERVs have also proved to be important determinants of pluripotency in human embryonic stem cells (ESC) and of the reprogramming process of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). In many types of tumors, essential characteristics of aggressiveness have been associated with the achievement of stemness features, often accompanied with the identification of defined subpopulations, termed cancer stem cells (CSCs), which possess stem cell-like properties and sustain tumorigenesis. Indeed, CSCs show high self-renewal capacity with a peculiar potential in tumor initiation, progression, metastasis, heterogeneity, recurrence, radiotherapy and drug resistance. However, HERVs role in CSCs biology is still not fully elucidated. In this regard, CD133 is a widely recognized marker of CSCs, and our group demonstrated, for the first time, the requirement of HERV-K activation to expand and maintain a CD133+ melanoma cell subpopulation with stemness features in response to microenvironmental modifications. The review will discuss HERVs expression as cancer hallmark, with particular focus on their role in the regulation of cancer stemness features and the potential involvement as targets for therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Matteucci
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier, 1, 00133, Rome, Italy.
| | - Emanuela Balestrieri
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier, 1, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Ayele Argaw-Denboba
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier, 1, 00133, Rome, Italy; European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Adriano Buzzati-Traverso Campus, Monterotondo, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Sinibaldi-Vallebona
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier, 1, 00133, Rome, Italy; Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council, Via Fosso del Cavaliere, 100, 00133, Rome, Italy
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Pierce ES. How did Lou Gehrig get Lou Gehrig's disease? Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in manure, soil, dirt, dust and grass and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (motor neurone disease) clusters in football, rugby and soccer players. Med Hypotheses 2018; 119:1-5. [PMID: 30122477 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2018.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Revised: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
There are several suspected infectious causes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or motor neurone disease including HIV-1 and species of Brucella, Cyanobacteria and Schistosoma. The increased rates and clusters of ALS in amateur and professional outdoor sports players including rugby, football and soccer players suggest a microorganism present in the grass, dirt and dust they play on and in may be a causative factor. The probable zoonosis Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) is heavily excreted in an infected domestic ruminant's feces or manure and is extensively distributed throughout the soil in countries where MAP infection of domestic livestock is longstanding. Like other zoonotic pathogens, MAP can be transmitted to humans by inhalation of aerosolized pathogen-contaminated soil, by direct contact of pathogen-contaminated grass, dirt and dust with mucus membranes lining the nose or mouth or through abrasions and cuts in the skin. Outdoor sports players may develop ALS after multiple oral, nasal or subcutaneous doses of MAP present in the dirt, dust and grass of their playing fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen S Pierce
- 13212 East Blossey Avenue, Spokane Valley, Washington 99216-2807, USA.
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Li H, Li L, Liu LR, Omange RW, Toledo N, Kashem MA, Hai Y, Liang B, Plummer FA, Luo M. Hypothetical endogenous SIV-like antigens in Mauritian cynomolgus macaques. Bioinformation 2018; 14:48-52. [PMID: 29618899 PMCID: PMC5879946 DOI: 10.6026/97320630014048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Revised: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection of Mauritian cynomolgus macaques (MCMs) is an increasingly important nonhuman primate model for HIV vaccine research. We previously reported that in MCMs anti-SIV antibodies can be naturally developed without exogenous infection or vaccination, and that a vaccine targeting SIV protease cleavage sites (PCS) can cross-induce antibodies to non-PCS SIV antigens. We speculate that this is potentially caused by the existence of endogenous SIV-like antigens. External stimuli (such as environmental factors and vaccination) may induce expression of endogenous SIV-like antigens to elicit these antibodies. Database and mass spectrometry analyses were conducted to search for such antigens. We identified endogenous SIV-like DNA sequences in cynomolgus macaque genome and non-PCS peptide homologous to SIV Env protein in PBMCs of a PCS-vaccinated monkey. Our preliminary insights suggest that endogenous SIV-like antigens may be one of the possible reasons for the natural and cross-inducible SIV antibodies in MCMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongzhao Li
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
| | - Lin Li
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3L5, Canada
| | - Lewis R Liu
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
| | - Robert W Omange
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
| | - Nikki Toledo
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
| | - Mohammad Abul Kashem
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
| | - Yan Hai
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
| | - Binhua Liang
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3L5, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3N4, Canada
| | - Francis A Plummer
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3L5, Canada
| | - Ma Luo
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3L5, Canada
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Neuromuscular diseases associated with Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection. J Neurol Sci 2018; 387:27-36. [PMID: 29571868 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2018.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Revised: 12/15/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
From the most common distal symmetric polyneuropathy (Bilgrami and O'Keefe, 2014) to the rare motor neuron diseases, HIV infection is associated with pathology at all levels of the peripheral nervous system. HIV infection can cause these conditions due to viral exposure itself, the resulting immune dysregulation, opportunistic infections found in untreated patients, and from the therapy used in treatment of the virus. Before the advent of antiretroviral therapy, 5 neuromuscular diseases associated with HIV often resulted from opportunistic infections. With advances in antiretroviral therapy, the etiologies of neuromuscular complications more frequently become the result of prolonged HIV exposure, comorbid diseases, and side effects of medications. In this article we review the literature on HIV associated neuromuscular diseases, emphasizing the more recent studies in the post antiretroviral era, but also reviewing conditions more prevalent in the pre antiretroviral era which continue to be seen in developing countries and resource poor areas. This discussion includes the following conditions: distal symmetric polyneuropathy, autonomic neuropathy, inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, mononeuropathy, mononeuropathy multiplex, polyradiculopathies, myelopathy, myopathy, motor neuron disease, and antiretroviral treatment related conditions.
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HIV-1 Infection of Primary CD4 + T Cells Regulates the Expression of Specific Human Endogenous Retrovirus HERV-K (HML-2) Elements. J Virol 2017; 92:JVI.01507-17. [PMID: 29046457 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01507-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 10/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) occupy extensive regions of the human genome. Although many of these retroviral elements have lost their ability to replicate, those whose insertion took place more recently, such as the HML-2 group of HERV-K elements, still retain intact open reading frames and the capacity to produce certain viral RNA and/or proteins. Transcription of these ERVs is, however, tightly regulated by dedicated epigenetic control mechanisms. Nonetheless, it has been reported that some pathological states, such as viral infections and certain cancers, coincide with ERV expression, suggesting that transcriptional reawakening is possible. HML-2 elements are reportedly induced during HIV-1 infection, but the conserved nature of these elements has, until recently, rendered their expression profiling problematic. Here, we provide comprehensive HERV-K HML-2 expression profiles specific for productively HIV-1-infected primary human CD4+ T cells. We combined enrichment of HIV-1 infected cells using a reporter virus expressing a surface reporter for gentle and efficient purification with long-read single-molecule real-time sequencing. We show that three HML-2 proviruses-6q25.1, 8q24.3, and 19q13.42-are upregulated on average between 3- and 5-fold in HIV-1-infected CD4+ T cells. One provirus, HML-2 12q24.33, in contrast, was repressed in the presence of active HIV replication. In conclusion, this report identifies the HERV-K HML-2 loci whose expression profiles differ upon HIV-1 infection in primary human CD4+ T cells. These data will help pave the way for further studies on the influence of endogenous retroviruses on HIV-1 replication.IMPORTANCE Endogenous retroviruses inhabit big portions of our genome. Moreover, although they are mainly inert, some of the evolutionarily younger members maintain the ability to express both RNA and proteins. We have developed an approach using long-read single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing that produces long reads that allow us to obtain detailed and accurate HERV-K HML-2 expression profiles. We applied this approach to study HERV-K expression in the presence or absence of productive HIV-1 infection of primary human CD4+ T cells. In addition to using SMRT sequencing, our strategy also includes the magnetic selection of the infected cells so that levels of background expression due to uninfected cells are kept at a minimum. The results presented here provide a blueprint for in-depth studies of the interactions of the authentic upregulated HERV-K HML-2 elements and HIV-1.
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Susceptibility of Human Endogenous Retrovirus Type K to Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors. J Virol 2017; 91:JVI.01309-17. [PMID: 28931682 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01309-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 09/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) make up 8% of the human genome. The HERV type K (HERV-K) HML-2 (HK2) family contains proviruses that are the most recent entrants into the human germ line and are transcriptionally active. In HIV-1 infection and cancer, HK2 genes produce retroviral particles that appear to be infectious, yet the replication capacity of these viruses and potential pathogenicity has been difficult to ascertain. In this report, we screened the efficacy of commercially available reverse transcriptase inhibitors (RTIs) at inhibiting the enzymatic activity of HK2 RT and HK2 genomic replication. Interestingly, only one provirus, K103, was found to encode a functional RT among those examined. Several nucleoside analogue RTIs (NRTIs) blocked K103 RT activity and consistently inhibited the replication of HK2 genomes. The NRTIs zidovudine (AZT), stavudine (d4T), didanosine (ddI), and lamivudine (3TC), and the nucleotide RTI inhibitor tenofovir (TDF), show efficacy in blocking K103 RT. HIV-1-specific nonnucleoside RTIs (NNRTIs), protease inhibitors (PIs), and integrase inhibitors (IIs) did not affect HK2, except for the NNRTI etravirine (ETV). The inhibition of HK2 infectivity by NRTIs appears to take place at either the reverse transcription step of the viral genome prior to HK2 viral particle formation and/or in the infected cells. Inhibition of HK2 by these drugs will be useful in suppressing HK2 infectivity if these viruses prove to be pathogenic in cancer, neurological disorders, or other diseases associated with HK2. The present studies also elucidate a key aspect of the life cycle of HK2, specifically addressing how they do, and/or did, replicate.IMPORTANCE Endogenous retroviruses are relics of ancestral virus infections in the human genome. The most recent of these infections was caused by HK2. While HK2 often remains silent in the genome, this group of viruses is activated in HIV-1-infected and cancer cells. Recent evidence suggests that these viruses are infectious, and the potential exists for HK2 to contribute to disease. We show that HK2, and specifically the enzyme that mediates virus replication, can be inhibited by a panel of drugs that are commercially available. We show that several drugs block HK2 with different efficacies. The inhibition of HK2 replication by antiretroviral drugs appears to occur in the virus itself as well as after infection of cells. Therefore, these drugs might prove to be an effective treatment by suppressing HK2 infectivity in diseases where these viruses have been implicated, such as cancer and neurological syndromes.
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Douville RN, Nath A. Human Endogenous Retrovirus-K and TDP-43 Expression Bridges ALS and HIV Neuropathology. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1986. [PMID: 29075249 PMCID: PMC5641584 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 09/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the repetitive association of endogenous retroviruses in human disease, the mechanisms behind their pathological contributions remain to be resolved. Here we discuss how neuronal human endogenous retrovirus-K (HERV-K) expression in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals is a distinct pathological aspect of HIV-associated neurological conditions, such as HIV encephalitis and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. Enhanced neuronal HERV-K levels were observed in the majority of HIV-infected individuals, and to a higher degree in brain tissue marked by HIV replication. Moreover, we highlight an important neuropathological overlap between amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and HIV encephalitis, that being the formation of neurotoxic TDP-43 deposits in neurons. Herein, we argue for enhanced transdisciplinary research in the field of ERV biology, using an example of how HERV-K expression has novel mechanistic and therapeutic implications for HIV neuropathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renée N Douville
- Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.,Department of Immunology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Avindra Nath
- Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
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Li H, Nykoluk M, Li L, Liu LR, Omange RW, Soule G, Schroeder LT, Toledo N, Kashem MA, Correia-Pinto JF, Liang B, Schultz-Darken N, Alonso MJ, Whitney JB, Plummer FA, Luo M. Natural and cross-inducible anti-SIV antibodies in Mauritian cynomolgus macaques. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0186079. [PMID: 28982126 PMCID: PMC5628977 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Cynomolgus macaques are an increasingly important nonhuman primate model for HIV vaccine research. SIV-free animals without pre-existing anti-SIV immune responses are generally needed to evaluate the effect of vaccine-induced immune responses against the vaccine epitopes. Here, in order to select such animals for vaccine studies, we screened 108 naïve female Mauritian cynomolgus macaques for natural (baseline) antibodies to SIV antigens using a Bio-Plex multiplex system. The antigens included twelve 20mer peptides overlapping the twelve SIV protease cleavage sites (-10/+10), respectively (PCS peptides), and three non-PCS Gag or Env peptides. Natural antibodies to SIV antigens were detected in subsets of monkeys. The antibody reactivity to SIV was further confirmed by Western blot using purified recombinant SIV Gag and Env proteins. As expected, the immunization of monkeys with PCS antigens elicited anti-PCS antibodies. However, unexpectedly, antibodies to non-PCS peptides were also induced, as shown by both Bio-Plex and Western blot analyses, while the non-PCS peptides do not share sequence homology with PCS peptides. The presence of natural and vaccine cross-inducible SIV antibodies in Mauritian cynomolgus macaques should be considered in animal selection, experimental design and result interpretation, for their best use in HIV vaccine research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongzhao Li
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Mikaela Nykoluk
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Lin Li
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Lewis R. Liu
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Robert W. Omange
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Geoff Soule
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Lukas T. Schroeder
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Nikki Toledo
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Mohammad Abul Kashem
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Jorge F. Correia-Pinto
- CIMUS Research Institute, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, La Coruña, Spain
| | - Binhua Liang
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Nancy Schultz-Darken
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Maria J. Alonso
- CIMUS Research Institute, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, La Coruña, Spain
| | - James B. Whitney
- Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Francis A. Plummer
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Ma Luo
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- * E-mail: ,
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Interactions between human endogenous and exogenous retroviruses. Genes Genomics 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s13258-017-0568-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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de Mulder M, SenGupta D, Deeks SG, Martin JN, Pilcher CD, Hecht FM, Sacha JB, Nixon DF, Michaud HA. Anti-HERV-K (HML-2) capsid antibody responses in HIV elite controllers. Retrovirology 2017; 14:41. [PMID: 28830571 PMCID: PMC5568399 DOI: 10.1186/s12977-017-0365-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2017] [Accepted: 08/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) comprise approximately 8% of the human genome and while the majority are transcriptionally silent, the most recently integrated HERV, HERV-K (HML-2), remains active. During HIV infection, HERV-K (HML-2) specific mRNA transcripts and viral proteins can be detected. In this study, we aimed to understand the antibody response against HERV-K (HML-2) Gag in the context of HIV-1 infection. RESULTS We developed an ELISA assay using either recombinant protein or 164 redundant "15mer" HERV-K (HML-2) Gag peptides to test sera for antibody reactivity. We identified a total of eight potential HERV-K (HML-2) Gag immunogenic domains: two on the matrix (peptides 16 and 31), one on p15 (peptide 85), three on the capsid (peptides 81, 97 and 117), one on the nucleocapsid (peptide 137) and one on the QP1 protein (peptide 157). Four epitopes (peptides 16, 31, 85 and 137) were highly immunogenic. No significant differences in antibody responses were found between HIV infected participants (n = 40) and uninfected donors (n = 40) for 6 out of the 8 epitopes tested. The antibody response against nucleocapsid (peptide 137) was significantly lower (p < 0.001), and the response to QP1 (peptide 157) significantly higher (p < 0.05) in HIV-infected adults compared to uninfected individuals. Among those with HIV infection, the level of response against p15 protein (peptide 85) was significantly lower in untreated individuals controlling HIV ("elite" controllers) compared to untreated non-controllers (p < 0.05) and uninfected donors (p < 0.05). In contrast, the response against the capsid protein (epitopes 81 and 117) was significantly higher in controllers compared to uninfected donors (p < 0.001 and <0.05 respectively) and non-controllers (p < 0.01 and <0.05). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from study participants were tested for responses against HERV-K (HML-2) capsid recombinant peptide in gamma interferon (IFN-γ) enzyme immunospot (Elispot) assays. We found that the HERV-K (HML-2) Gag antibody and T cell response by Elispot were significantly correlated. CONCLUSIONS HIV elite controllers had a strong cellular and antibody response against HERV-K (HML-2) Gag directed mainly against the Capsid region. Collectively, these data suggest that anti-HERV-K (HML-2) antibodies targeting capsid could have an immunoprotective effect in HIV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel de Mulder
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine, The George Washington University, Ross Hall 604, 2300 Eye St. NW, Washington, DC 20037 USA
| | - Devi SenGupta
- Gilead Sciences Inc., Foster City, CA USA
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Steven G. Deeks
- HIV/AIDS Program, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Jeffrey N. Martin
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Christopher D. Pilcher
- HIV/AIDS Program, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Frederick M. Hecht
- HIV/AIDS Program, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Jonah B. Sacha
- Division of Pathobiology and Immunology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, CA USA
| | - Douglas F. Nixon
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine, The George Washington University, Ross Hall 604, 2300 Eye St. NW, Washington, DC 20037 USA
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Henri-Alexandre Michaud
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
- Equipe Immunité et Cancer, Institut de Recherche en Cancérlogie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
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Terry SN, Manganaro L, Cuesta-Dominguez A, Brinzevich D, Simon V, Mulder LCF. Expression of HERV-K108 envelope interferes with HIV-1 production. Virology 2017; 509:52-59. [PMID: 28605635 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2017.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2017] [Revised: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The human endogenous retroviruses (HERV)-K of the HML-2 group include full-length or near full-length elements encoding functional proteins, and are classified as type-1 or type-2 (type-1 has a deletion in the 5' end of the env gene). Because proteins of different retroviruses can interact, we hypothesized that HERV-K envelope (Env) could influence HIV-1 replication. Here we describe the negative effect of envelope expression of certain type-2 HERV-Ks on HIV-1 production. All HIV-1 and SIV strains tested were susceptible to various degrees to inhibition by the HERV-K108 envelope. We identified four residues within HERV-K108 Env as being critical to inhibit HIV-1 production. No inhibition was observed on EGFP expression, indicating that HERV-K Env does not affect general protein production. These findings demonstrate that envelope proteins from some endogenous retroviruses can limit production of exogenous lentiviruses such as HIV-1. Future studies will elucidate the mechanism mediating HIV-1 inhibition by HERV Envs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra N Terry
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Lara Manganaro
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Alvaro Cuesta-Dominguez
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Daria Brinzevich
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Viviana Simon
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; The Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lubbertus C F Mulder
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; The Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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Monde K, Terasawa H, Nakano Y, Soheilian F, Nagashima K, Maeda Y, Ono A. Molecular mechanisms by which HERV-K Gag interferes with HIV-1 Gag assembly and particle infectivity. Retrovirology 2017; 14:27. [PMID: 28446240 PMCID: PMC5406883 DOI: 10.1186/s12977-017-0351-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), the remnants of ancient retroviral infections, constitute approximately 8% of human genomic DNA. Since HERV-K Gag expression is induced by HIV-1 Tat in T cells, induced HERV-K proteins could affect HIV-1 replication. Indeed, previously we showed that HERV-K Gag and HIV-1 Gag coassemble and that this appears to correlate with the effect of HERV-K Gag expression on HIV-1 particle release and its infectivity. We further showed that coassembly requires both MA and NC domains, which presumably serve as scaffolding for Gag via their abilities to bind membrane and RNA, respectively. Notably, however, despite possessing these abilities, MLV Gag failed to coassemble with HIV-1 Gag and did not affect assembly and infectivity of HIV-1 particles. It is unclear how the specificity of coassembly is determined. Results Here, we showed that coexpression of HERV-K Gag with HIV-1 Gag changed size and morphology of progeny HIV-1 particles and severely diminished infectivity of such progeny viruses. We further compared HERV-K-MLV chimeric constructs to identify molecular determinants for coassembly specificity and for inhibition of HIV-1 release efficiency and infectivity. We found that the CA N-terminal domain (NTD) of HERV-K Gag is important for the reduction of the HIV-1 release efficiency, whereas both CA-NTD and major homology region of HERV-K Gag contribute to colocalization with HIV-1 Gag. Interestingly, these regions of HERV-K Gag were not required for reduction of progeny HIV-1 infectivity. Conclusions Our results showed that HERV-K Gag CA is important for reduction of HIV-1 release and infectivity but the different regions within CA are involved in the effects on the HIV-1 release and infectivity. Altogether, these findings revealed that HERV-K Gag interferes the HIV-1 replication by two distinct molecular mechanisms. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12977-017-0351-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuaki Monde
- Department of Medical Virology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan. .,Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
| | - Hiromi Terasawa
- Department of Medical Virology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.,Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Yusuke Nakano
- Department of Medical Virology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.,Laboratory of Viral Pathogenesis, Institute for Virus Research, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ferri Soheilian
- Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Kunio Nagashima
- Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Yosuke Maeda
- Department of Medical Virology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.,Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Akira Ono
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Walsh SR, Gerpe MCR, Wootton SK. Construction of a molecular clone of ovine enzootic nasal tumor virus. Virol J 2016; 13:209. [PMID: 28038674 PMCID: PMC5203713 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-016-0660-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Accepted: 11/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Enzootic nasal tumor virus (ENTV-1) is an ovine betaretrovirus that has been linked to enzootic nasal adenocarcinoma (ENA), a contagious tumor of the ethmoid turbinates of sheep. Transmission experiments performed using virus isolated from cell free nasal tumor homogenates suggest that ENTV-1 is the causative agent of ENA; however, this etiological relationship has not been conclusively proven due to the fact that the virus cannot be propagated in vitro nor is there an infectious molecular clone of the virus. METHODS Here we report construction of a molecular clone of ENTV-1 and demonstrate that transfection of this molecular clone into HEK 293T cells produces mature virus particles. RESULTS Analysis of recombinant virus particles derived from the initial molecular clone revealed a defect in the proteolytic processing of Gag; however, this defect could be corrected by co-expression of the Gag-Pro-Pol polyprotein from the highly related Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV) suggesting that the polyprotein cleavage sites in the ENTV-1 molecular clone were functional. Mutagenesis of the molecular clone to correct amino acid variants identified within the pro gene did not restore proteolytic processing; whereas deletion of one proline residue from a polyproline tract located in variable region 1 (VR1) of the matrix resulted in production of CA protein of the mature (cleaved) size strongly suggesting that normal virion morphogenesis and polyprotein cleavage took place. Finally, electron microscopy revealed the presence of spherical virus particles with an eccentric capsid and an average diameter of about 100 nm. CONCLUSION In summary, we have constructed the first molecular clone of ENTV-1 from which mature virus particles can be produced. Future experiments using virus produced from this molecular clone can now be conducted to fulfill Koch's postulates and demonstrate that ENTV-1 is necessary and sufficient to induce ENA in sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott R Walsh
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.,McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - María Carla Rosales Gerpe
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sarah K Wootton
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
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Bowen LN, Tyagi R, Li W, Alfahad T, Smith B, Wright M, Singer EJ, Nath A. HIV-associated motor neuron disease: HERV-K activation and response to antiretroviral therapy. Neurology 2016; 87:1756-1762. [PMID: 27664983 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000003258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine whether there is activation of human endogenous retrovirus K (HERV-K) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in HIV infection and whether it might respond to treatment with antiretroviral drugs. METHODS In this case series, we present 5 patients with HIV infection who subsequently developed motor neuron disease involving both upper and lower motor neurons. We monitored HERV-K levels in plasma of 4 of these patients. RESULTS Three patients who received antiretroviral therapy had reversal of symptoms within 6 months of onset of neurologic symptoms and the other 2 had slow neurologic progression over several years. Three patients in whom the levels were measured at onset of neurologic symptoms showed elevated HERV-K levels that responded to optimization of antiretroviral therapy for CNS penetration. CONCLUSIONS Thus, motor neuron disease in individuals with HIV infection may a treatable entity, but early treatment with CNS-penetrating antiretroviral therapy may be necessary. Monitoring of HERV-K levels may help guide treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren N Bowen
- From the Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke (L.N.B., R.T., W.L., T.A., B.S., A.N.), and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (M.W.), NIH, Bethesda, MD; and National Neurological AIDS Bank and Department of Neurology (E.J.S.), University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Richa Tyagi
- From the Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke (L.N.B., R.T., W.L., T.A., B.S., A.N.), and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (M.W.), NIH, Bethesda, MD; and National Neurological AIDS Bank and Department of Neurology (E.J.S.), University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Wenxue Li
- From the Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke (L.N.B., R.T., W.L., T.A., B.S., A.N.), and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (M.W.), NIH, Bethesda, MD; and National Neurological AIDS Bank and Department of Neurology (E.J.S.), University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Tariq Alfahad
- From the Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke (L.N.B., R.T., W.L., T.A., B.S., A.N.), and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (M.W.), NIH, Bethesda, MD; and National Neurological AIDS Bank and Department of Neurology (E.J.S.), University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Bryan Smith
- From the Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke (L.N.B., R.T., W.L., T.A., B.S., A.N.), and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (M.W.), NIH, Bethesda, MD; and National Neurological AIDS Bank and Department of Neurology (E.J.S.), University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Mary Wright
- From the Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke (L.N.B., R.T., W.L., T.A., B.S., A.N.), and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (M.W.), NIH, Bethesda, MD; and National Neurological AIDS Bank and Department of Neurology (E.J.S.), University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Elyse J Singer
- From the Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke (L.N.B., R.T., W.L., T.A., B.S., A.N.), and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (M.W.), NIH, Bethesda, MD; and National Neurological AIDS Bank and Department of Neurology (E.J.S.), University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Avindra Nath
- From the Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke (L.N.B., R.T., W.L., T.A., B.S., A.N.), and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (M.W.), NIH, Bethesda, MD; and National Neurological AIDS Bank and Department of Neurology (E.J.S.), University of California, Los Angeles.
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A contaminant-free assessment of Endogenous Retroviral RNA in human plasma. Sci Rep 2016; 6:33598. [PMID: 27640347 PMCID: PMC5027517 DOI: 10.1038/srep33598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) comprise 6–8% of the human genome. HERVs are silenced in most normal tissues, up-regulated in stem cells and in placenta but also in cancer and HIV-1 infection. Crucially, there are conflicting reports on detecting HERV RNA in non-cellular clinical samples such as plasma that suggest the study of HERV RNA can be daunting. Indeed, we find that the use of real-time PCR in a quality assured clinical laboratory setting can be sensitive to low-level proviral contamination. We developed a mathematical model for low-level contamination that allowed us to design a laboratory protocol and standard operating procedures for robust measurement of HERV RNA. We focus on one family, HERV-K HML-2 (HK2) that has been most recently active even though they invaded our ancestral genomes almost 30 millions ago. We extensively validated our experimental design on a model cell culture system showing high sensitivity and specificity, totally eliminating the proviral contamination. We then tested 236 plasma samples from patients infected with HIV-1, HCV or HBV and found them to be negative. The study of HERV RNA for human translational studies should be performed with extensively validated protocols and standard operating procedures to control the widespread low-level human DNA contamination.
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Hanke K, Hohn O, Bannert N. HERV-K(HML-2), a seemingly silent subtenant - but still waters run deep. APMIS 2016; 124:67-87. [PMID: 26818263 DOI: 10.1111/apm.12475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2015] [Accepted: 10/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
A large proportion of the human genome consists of endogenous retroviruses, some of which are well preserved, showing transcriptional activity, and expressing retroviral proteins. The HERV-K(HML-2) family represents the most intact members of these elements, with some having open and intact reading frames for viral proteins and the ability to form virus-like particles. Although generally suppressed in most healthy tissues by a variety of epigenetic processes and antiviral mechanisms, there is evidence that some members of this family are (at least partly) still active - particularly in certain stem cells and various tumors. This raises the possibility of their involvement in tumor induction or in developmental processes. In recent years, many new insights into this fascinating field have been attained, and this review focuses on new discoveries about coevolutionary events and intracellular defense mechanisms against HERV-K(HML-2) activity. We also describe what might occur when these mechanisms fail or become modulated by viral proteins or other viruses and discuss the new vistas opened up by the reconstitution of ancestral viral proteins and even complete HML-2 viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten Hanke
- Department HIV and Other Retroviruses, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Oliver Hohn
- Department HIV and Other Retroviruses, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Norbert Bannert
- Department HIV and Other Retroviruses, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
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Mullins CS, Hühns M, Krohn M, Peters S, Cheynet V, Oriol G, Guillotte M, Ducrot S, Mallet F, Linnebacher M. Generation, Characterization and Application of Antibodies Directed against HERV-H Gag Protein in Colorectal Samples. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0153349. [PMID: 27119520 PMCID: PMC4847760 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 03/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction A substantial part of the human genome originates from transposable elements, remnants of ancient retroviral infections. Roughly 8% of the human genome consists of about 400,000 LTR elements including human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) sequences. Mainly, the interplay between epigenetic and post-transcriptional mechanisms is thought to silence HERV expression in most physiological contexts. Interestingly, aberrant reactivation of several HERV-H loci appears specific to colorectal carcinoma (CRC). Results The expression of HERV-H Gag proteins (Gag-H) was assessed using novel monoclonal mouse anti Gag-H antibodies. In a flow cytometry screen four antibody clones were tested on a panel of primary CRC cell lines and the most well performing ones were subsequently validated in western blot analysis. Finally, Gag-H protein expression was analyzed by immune histology on cell line cytospins and on clinical samples. There, we found a heterogeneous staining pattern with no background staining of endothelial, stromal and infiltrating immune cells but diffuse staining of the cytoplasm for positive tumor and normal crypt cells of the colonic epithelium. Conclusion Taken together, the Gag-H antibody clone(s) present a valuable tool for staining of cells with colonic origin and thus form the basis for future more detailed investigations. The observed Gag-H protein staining in colonic epithelium crypt cells demands profound analyses of a potential role for Gag-H in the normal physiology of the human gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina S. Mullins
- University Medicine Rostock, Department of General Surgery, Molecular Oncology and Immunotherapy, Schillingallee 69, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Maja Hühns
- University Medicine Rostock, Institute of Pathology, Strempelstraße 14, 18055 Rostock, Germany
| | - Mathias Krohn
- University Medicine Rostock, Department of General Surgery, Molecular Oncology and Immunotherapy, Schillingallee 69, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Sven Peters
- University Medicine Rostock, Department of General Surgery, Molecular Oncology and Immunotherapy, Schillingallee 69, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Valérie Cheynet
- Joint Unit Hospices Civils de Lyon, bioMérieux, Cancer Biomarkers Research Group, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, Bâtiment 3F, 69495, Pierre Bénite cedex, Lyon, France
| | - Guy Oriol
- Joint Unit Hospices Civils de Lyon, bioMérieux, Cancer Biomarkers Research Group, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, Bâtiment 3F, 69495, Pierre Bénite cedex, Lyon, France
| | | | - Sandrine Ducrot
- R&D Immunoassay, bioMérieux, Raw Material Department, Marcy l’Etoile, France
| | - François Mallet
- Joint Unit Hospices Civils de Lyon, bioMérieux, Cancer Biomarkers Research Group, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, Bâtiment 3F, 69495, Pierre Bénite cedex, Lyon, France
- EA Pathophysiology of injury-induced immunosuppression, University of Lyon1–Hospices Civils de Lyon–bioMérieux,Hôpital Edouard Herriot, 5, Place d’Arsonval, 69437 LYON Cedex 3, Lyon, France
| | - Michael Linnebacher
- University Medicine Rostock, Department of General Surgery, Molecular Oncology and Immunotherapy, Schillingallee 69, 18057 Rostock, Germany
- * E-mail:
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