Endogenous Retroviruses as Modulators of Innate Immunity
Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), or LTR retrotransposons, are a class of transposable elements that are highly represented in mammalian genomes. Human ERVs (HERVs) make up roughly 8.3% of the genome and over the course of evolution, HERV elements underwent positive selection and accrued mutations tha...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Pathogens |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/2/162 |
| _version_ | 1797618878603329536 |
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| author | Eric Russ Sergey Iordanskiy |
| author_facet | Eric Russ Sergey Iordanskiy |
| author_sort | Eric Russ |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), or LTR retrotransposons, are a class of transposable elements that are highly represented in mammalian genomes. Human ERVs (HERVs) make up roughly 8.3% of the genome and over the course of evolution, HERV elements underwent positive selection and accrued mutations that rendered them non-infectious; thereby, the genome could co-opt them into constructive roles with important biological functions. In the past two decades, with the help of advances in sequencing technology, ERVs are increasingly considered to be important components of the innate immune response. While typically silenced, expression of HERVs can be induced in response to traumatic, toxic, or infection-related stress, leading to a buildup of viral transcripts and under certain circumstances, proteins, including functionally active reverse transcriptase and viral envelopes. The biological activity of HERVs in the context of the innate immune response can be based on the functional effect of four major viral components: (1) HERV LTRs, (2) HERV-derived RNAs, (3) HERV-derived RNA:DNA duplexes and cDNA, and (4) HERV-derived proteins and ribonucleoprotein complexes. In this review, we will discuss the implications of HERVs in all four contexts in relation to innate immunity and their association with various pathological disease states. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:18:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4fb75c8c8b0c4e12b713e9ddf2e6b6b8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:18:49Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-4fb75c8c8b0c4e12b713e9ddf2e6b6b82023-11-16T22:32:53ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172023-01-0112216210.3390/pathogens12020162Endogenous Retroviruses as Modulators of Innate ImmunityEric Russ0Sergey Iordanskiy1Department of Pharmacology & Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USADepartment of Pharmacology & Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USAEndogenous retroviruses (ERVs), or LTR retrotransposons, are a class of transposable elements that are highly represented in mammalian genomes. Human ERVs (HERVs) make up roughly 8.3% of the genome and over the course of evolution, HERV elements underwent positive selection and accrued mutations that rendered them non-infectious; thereby, the genome could co-opt them into constructive roles with important biological functions. In the past two decades, with the help of advances in sequencing technology, ERVs are increasingly considered to be important components of the innate immune response. While typically silenced, expression of HERVs can be induced in response to traumatic, toxic, or infection-related stress, leading to a buildup of viral transcripts and under certain circumstances, proteins, including functionally active reverse transcriptase and viral envelopes. The biological activity of HERVs in the context of the innate immune response can be based on the functional effect of four major viral components: (1) HERV LTRs, (2) HERV-derived RNAs, (3) HERV-derived RNA:DNA duplexes and cDNA, and (4) HERV-derived proteins and ribonucleoprotein complexes. In this review, we will discuss the implications of HERVs in all four contexts in relation to innate immunity and their association with various pathological disease states.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/2/162human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs)innate immunityprovirusinterferonpattern-recognition receptors (PRR)RIG-I-like receptors (RLR) |
| spellingShingle | Eric Russ Sergey Iordanskiy Endogenous Retroviruses as Modulators of Innate Immunity Pathogens human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) innate immunity provirus interferon pattern-recognition receptors (PRR) RIG-I-like receptors (RLR) |
| title | Endogenous Retroviruses as Modulators of Innate Immunity |
| title_full | Endogenous Retroviruses as Modulators of Innate Immunity |
| title_fullStr | Endogenous Retroviruses as Modulators of Innate Immunity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Endogenous Retroviruses as Modulators of Innate Immunity |
| title_short | Endogenous Retroviruses as Modulators of Innate Immunity |
| title_sort | endogenous retroviruses as modulators of innate immunity |
| topic | human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) innate immunity provirus interferon pattern-recognition receptors (PRR) RIG-I-like receptors (RLR) |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/2/162 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ericruss endogenousretrovirusesasmodulatorsofinnateimmunity AT sergeyiordanskiy endogenousretrovirusesasmodulatorsofinnateimmunity |