Scientists from Georgetown University and the University of Miami, as well as from the National Institutes of Health (USA), found during the study that human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs, human endogenous retroviruses) can affect the formation of glioblastoma, an aggressive tumor in the brain. tissue. The results of the research were published by the journal. Journal of Clinical Research (JCI).
The average life expectancy of a person after being diagnosed with glioblastoma is 14 months. This is why scientists consider it extremely important to study this type of oncopathology in order to prolong and improve patients’ lives and possibly prevent disease.
The tumor grows due to the development of stem cells. Stem cells also determine how aggressive and treatment-resistant the disease will be. Through a comprehensive translation study of the expression of the endogenous retrovirus HERV-K in glioblastoma, the researchers concluded that the virus changes the “program” of stem cells by activating a regulatory protein called OCT4. This means that the HML-2 virus supergroup makes a fundamental contribution to the stem cell microenvironment that nourishes them and determines their fate.
Thanks to the study, scientists were able to determine the criteria for the treatment of glioblastoma. Notably, the antiretroviral drug significantly reduced HERV-K activity and levels of tumor stem cell markers. If the same results can be repeated in the human body as a whole, this will facilitate the fight against this type of cancer.
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