The Concomitant Expression of Human Endogenous Retroviruses and Embryonic Genes in Cancer Cells under Microenvironmental Changes is a Potential Target for Antiretroviral Drugs.

ABSTRACT: In our genomes there are thousands of copies of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) originated from the integration of exogenous retroviruses that infected germ line cells millions of years ago, and currently an altered expression of this elements has been associated to the onset, progression and acquisition of aggressiveness features of many cancers. The transcriptional reactivation of HERVs is mainly an effect of their responsiveness to some factors in cell microenvironment, such as nutrients, hormones and cytokines. We have already demonstrated that, under pressure of microenvironmental changes, HERV-K (HML-2) activation is required to maintain human melanoma cell plasticity and CD133+ cancer stem cells survival. In the present study, the transcriptional activity of HERV-K (HML-2), HE

SUBMITTER: Giovinazzo A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6937370 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature