人内源性逆转录病毒长末端重复序列功能研究进展

Research progress on the function of the long-terminal repeats of human endogenous retrovirus

人内源性逆转录病毒(human endogenous retroviruses,HERVs)元件广泛分布在人类基因组中,约占人类基因组的8%。HERVs元件参与多种人体生理功能,其异常表达与多种疾病的发生发展密切相关。HERVs两端的长末端重复序列(long terminal repeats,LTR)上含有的启动子、增强子和转录因子结合位点,与特定的转录因子结合后发挥调节HERVs本身及临近宿主基因的作用。本文介绍了HERVs LTR的结构及分布特点,总结了HERVs LTR相关转录因子的研究进展,旨在阐明HERVs LTR在人体生理病理过程中发挥的调控机制及作用。

Human endogenous retroviruses(HERVs)elements account for about 8%of the human genome and are widely distributed.HERVs are involved in a variety of physiological functions and their abnormal expression are closely related to the occurrence and development of many diseases in the human body.The long terminal repeats(LTR)at both terminus of HERVs contain promoters,enhancers and transcription factor binding sites,which play a role in regulating HERVs itself and adjacent host genes after binding to specific transcription factors.This paper introduced the structure and distribution characteristics of HERVs LTR and summarized the research progress of HERVs LTRrelated transcription factors,aiming to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms and roles of HERVs LTR in physiological and pathological processes.