The distribution of insertionally polymorphic endogenous retroviruses in breast cancer patients and cancer-free controls.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Integration of retroviral DNA into a germ cell can result in a provirus that is transmitted vertically to the host's offspring. In humans, such endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) comprise >8% of the genome. The HERV-K(HML-2) proviruses consist of ~90 elements related to mouse mammary tumor virus, which causes breast cancer in mice. A subset of HERV-K(HML-2) proviruses has some or all genes intact, and even encodes functional proteins, though a replication competent copy has yet to be observed. More than 10% of HML-2 proviruses are human-specific, having integrated subsequent to the Homo-Pan divergence, and, of these, 11 are currently known to be polymorphic in integration site with variable frequencies among individuals. Increased expression of the most recent HML-2 proviru

SUBMITTER: Wildschutte JH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4149278 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature