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Mol. Cells 2009; 28(2): 99-103

Published online July 30, 2009

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10059-009-0107-y

© The Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology

Structural and Quantitative Expression Analyses of
HERV Gene Family in Human Tissues

Kung Ahn, and Heui-Soo Kim

Received: April 30, 2009; Revised: June 11, 2009; Accepted: June 24, 2009

Abstract

Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several human dis-eases as multi-copy members in the human genome. Their gene expression profiling could provide us with important insights into the pathogenic relationship between HERVs and cancer. In this study, we have evalu-ated the genomic structure and quantitatively determined the expression patterns in the env gene of a variety of HERV family members located on six specific loci by the RetroTector 10 program, as well as real-time RT-PCR amplification. The env gene transcripts evidenced significant differences in the human tumor/normal adjacent tissues (colon, liver, uterus, lung and testis). As compared to the adjacent normal tissues, high levels of expression were noted in testis tumor tissues for HERV-K, in liver and lung tumor tissues for HERV-R, in liver, lung, and testis tumor tissues for HERV-H, and in colon and liver tumor tissues for HERV-P. These data warrant further studies with larger groups of patients to develop biomarkers for specific human cancers.

Keywords biomarker, HERV env gene, real-time RT-PCR, tumor tissues

Article

Research Article

Mol. Cells 2009; 28(2): 99-103

Published online August 31, 2009 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10059-009-0107-y

Copyright © The Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology.

Structural and Quantitative Expression Analyses of
HERV Gene Family in Human Tissues

Kung Ahn, and Heui-Soo Kim

Received: April 30, 2009; Revised: June 11, 2009; Accepted: June 24, 2009

Abstract

Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several human dis-eases as multi-copy members in the human genome. Their gene expression profiling could provide us with important insights into the pathogenic relationship between HERVs and cancer. In this study, we have evalu-ated the genomic structure and quantitatively determined the expression patterns in the env gene of a variety of HERV family members located on six specific loci by the RetroTector 10 program, as well as real-time RT-PCR amplification. The env gene transcripts evidenced significant differences in the human tumor/normal adjacent tissues (colon, liver, uterus, lung and testis). As compared to the adjacent normal tissues, high levels of expression were noted in testis tumor tissues for HERV-K, in liver and lung tumor tissues for HERV-R, in liver, lung, and testis tumor tissues for HERV-H, and in colon and liver tumor tissues for HERV-P. These data warrant further studies with larger groups of patients to develop biomarkers for specific human cancers.

Keywords: biomarker, HERV env gene, real-time RT-PCR, tumor tissues

Mol. Cells
Mar 31, 2023 Vol.46 No.3, pp. 131~189
COVER PICTURE
The physiologically important cytoprotective signaling in normal cells (background area in turquoise) mediated by NRF2 (blue chain) is often hijacked by cancer cells (red ball) in the tumor microenvironment (yellow area). However, the differential roles of NRF2 throughout the multistage carcinogenesis remains largely unresolved (white-colored overlapping misty areas).

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