Antiviral activity of the human endogenous retrovirus-R envelope protein against SARS-CoV-2
EMBO Reports.
; 2023.
Article
in English
| EMBASE | ID: covidwho-2321666
ABSTRACT
Coronavirus-induced disease-19 (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2, is still a major global health challenge. Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) represent retroviral elements that were integrated into the ancestral human genome. HERVs are important in embryonic development as well as in the manifestation of diseases, including cancer, inflammation, and viral infections. Here, we analyze the expression of several HERVs in SARS-CoV-2-infected cells and observe increased activity of HERV-E, HERV-V, HERV-FRD, HERV-MER34, HERV-W, and HERV-K-HML2. In contrast, the HERV-R envelope is downregulated in cell-based models and PBMCs of COVID-19 patients. Overexpression of HERV-R inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication, suggesting its antiviral activity. Further analyses demonstrate the role of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in regulating HERV-R antiviral activity. Lastly, our data indicate that the crosstalk between ERK and p38 MAPK controls the synthesis of the HERV-R envelope protein, which in turn modulates SARS-CoV-2 replication. These findings suggest the role of the HERV-R envelope as a prosurvival host factor against SARS-CoV-2 and illustrate a possible advantage of integration and evolutionary maintenance of retroviral elements in the human genome.Copyright © 2023 The Authors.
endogenous retrovirus; endogenous retrovirus envelope; host-pathogen interaction; human endogenous retrovirus-R; SARS-CoV-2; adult; antiviral activity; article; clinical article; controlled study; female; gene overexpression; host pathogen interaction; human; Human endogenous retrovirus K; Human endogenous retrovirus W; human genome; male; nonhuman; peripheral blood mononuclear cell; protein function; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; synthesis; endogenous compound; envelope protein; host factor; mitogen activated protein kinase 1; mitogen activated protein kinase 14
Full text:
Available
Collection:
Databases of international organizations
Database:
EMBASE
Language:
English
Journal:
EMBO Reports.
Year:
2023
Document Type:
Article
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