HERV-K

HERV-K (Human Endogenous Retrovirus-K) is a type of endogenous retrovirus that is integrated into the genome of human beings. It is one of the many retroviruses that have become a permanent part of the human genome, having been passed down from generation to generation over millions of years.

Overview

HERV-K is named after the Kaplan strain of mouse mammary tumor virus from which its reverse transcriptase was initially isolated. It is one of the most studied endogenous retroviruses due to its potential involvement in various human diseases, including cancer, autoimmune diseases, and neurological disorders.

Structure and Function

HERV-K is composed of gag, pol, and env genes, which are typical of retroviruses. The gag gene encodes for the viral core proteins, the pol gene for the reverse transcriptase, integrase, and protease, and the env gene for the envelope proteins.

The function of HERV-K in the human body is not fully understood. However, it is known that the expression of HERV-K is usually silenced by DNA methylation and other epigenetic mechanisms in healthy cells. When these mechanisms are disrupted, HERV-K can be reactivated, potentially leading to disease.

Clinical Significance

Several studies have suggested a link between HERV-K and various diseases. For instance, HERV-K has been found to be overexpressed in certain types of cancer, such as breast cancer and melanoma. It has also been associated with neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia. However, more research is needed to fully understand the role of HERV-K in these conditions.

See Also

• Endogenous retrovirus
• Retrovirus
• Genome
• Epigenetics

References

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