da Silva Amanda Lopes, Guedes Bruno Luiz Miranda, Santos Samuel Nascimento, Correa Giovanna Francisco, Nardy Ariane, Nali Luiz Henrique da Silva, Bachi Andre Luis Lacerda, Romano Camila Malta
Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
UNISA Research Center, Universidade Santo Amaro, Post-Graduation in Health Sciences, São Paulo, Brazil.
Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2024 Apr 9;14:1379962. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1379962. eCollection 2024.
The notion that viruses played a crucial role in the evolution of life is not a new concept. However, more recent insights suggest that this perception might be even more expansive, highlighting the ongoing impact of viruses on host evolution. Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are considered genomic remnants of ancient viral infections acquired throughout vertebrate evolution. Their exogenous counterparts once infected the host's germline cells, eventually leading to the permanent endogenization of their respective proviruses. The success of ERV colonization is evident so that it constitutes 8% of the human genome. Emerging genomic studies indicate that endogenous retroviruses are not merely remnants of past infections but rather play a corollary role, despite not fully understood, in host genetic regulation. This review presents some evidence supporting the crucial role of endogenous retroviruses in regulating host genetics. We explore the involvement of human ERVs (HERVs) in key physiological processes, from their precise and orchestrated activities during cellular differentiation and pluripotency to their contributions to aging and cellular senescence. Additionally, we discuss the costs associated with hosting a substantial amount of preserved viral genetic material.
病毒在生命进化中发挥关键作用这一观点并非新概念。然而，最近的见解表明，这种认识可能更为广泛，凸显了病毒对宿主进化的持续影响。内源性逆转录病毒（ERVs）被认为是整个脊椎动物进化过程中获得的古代病毒感染的基因组残余物。它们的外源性对应物曾经感染宿主的生殖系细胞，最终导致各自前病毒的永久内源性化。ERV定殖的成功显而易见，它构成了人类基因组的8%。新兴的基因组研究表明，内源性逆转录病毒不仅是过去感染的残余物，而且尽管尚未完全了解，但在宿主基因调控中发挥着辅助作用。本综述提供了一些证据，支持内源性逆转录病毒在调节宿主遗传学方面的关键作用。我们探讨了人类内源性逆转录病毒（HERVs）在关键生理过程中的参与情况，从它们在细胞分化和多能性过程中精确且协调的活动，到它们对衰老和细胞衰老的贡献。此外，我们还讨论了容纳大量保存的病毒遗传物质所带来的代价。
