The study identified endogenous retroviruses, remnants of viral infections that emerged millions of years ago, that actively influence gene expression in several types of cancer. The study, led by senior author Edward Chuong, isolated a specific lineage known as LTR10, which is particularly prevalent in lung and colon cancers.
Using CRISPR gene editing, the researchers silenced LTR10 sequences in cancer cells and observed a significant reduction in the expression of genes critical to cancer development, such as XRCC4. The discovery suggests that targeting these ancient viral pathways could improve the effectiveness of current cancer treatments, the scientists write.
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Source: Ferra
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