title: Cell-host, LINE and environment: Three players in search of a balance.
abstract: Long interspersed nuclear elements -1 (LINEs, L1s) are retroelements occupying almost 17% of the human genome. L1 retrotransposition can cause deleterious effects on the host-cell and it is generally inhibited by suppressive mechanisms, but it can occur in some specific cells during early development as well as in some tumor cells and in the presence of several environmental factors. In a recent publication we reported that extremely low frequency pulsed magnetic field can affect L1 retrotransposition in neuroblastoma cells. In this commentary we discuss the interaction between environment and L1 activity in the light of the new emerging paradigm of host-LINE relationship.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology; University of Bologna; Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Brunella
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Del Re
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giorgi
keywords: LINE-1; environment; magnetic field; neuroblastoma; retrotransposition