title: CMV induces HERV-K and HERV-W expression in kidney transplant recipients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human endogenous retrovirus (HERVs) constitute approximately 8% of the human genome. Induction of HERV transcription is possible under certain circumstances, and may have a possible role in some pathological conditions.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate HERV-K and -W pol gene expression in kidney transplant recipients and to investigate the possible relationship between HERVs gene expression and CMV infection in these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three samples of kidney transplant patients and twenty healthy blood donors were used to analyze, HERV-K and -W pol gene RNA expression by relative quantitative relative Real-Time PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We demonstrated that HERVs pol gene expression levels were higher in kidney transplant recipients than in healthy subjects. Moreover, HERV-K and -W pol gene expression was significantly higher in the group of kidney transplant recipients with high CMV viral load than in the groups with no or moderate CMV viral load.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that CMV may facilitate in vivo HERV activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Pediatric Sciences, University of Turin, Medical School, 10136 Turin, Italy; Laboratory of Citoimmunodiagnostics, University Hospital City of Science and Health of Turin, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, Turin, Italy. Electronic address: massimiliano.bergallo@unito.it.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bergallo
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Pediatric Sciences, University of Turin, Medical School, 10136 Turin, Italy; Laboratory of Citoimmunodiagnostics, University Hospital City of Science and Health of Turin, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, Turin, Italy. Electronic address: ilaria.galliano@unito.it.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Galliano
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Pediatric Sciences, University of Turin, Medical School, 10136 Turin, Italy; Laboratory of Citoimmunodiagnostics, University Hospital City of Science and Health of Turin, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, Turin, Italy. Electronic address: paola.montanari@unito.it.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Montanari
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Citoimmunodiagnostics, University Hospital City of Science and Health of Turin, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, Turin, Italy. Electronic address: gambarino.stefano@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gambarino
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Pediatric Sciences, University of Turin, Medical School, 10136 Turin, Italy; Pediatric Onco-Hematology, Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Division, City of Science and Health of Turin, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, Turin, Italy. Electronic address: katia.mereschi@unito.it.
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mareschi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Citoimmunodiagnostics, University Hospital City of Science and Health of Turin, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, Turin, Italy. Electronic address: ferro.francesca@libero.it.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferro
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Onco-Hematology, Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Division, City of Science and Health of Turin, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, Turin, Italy. Electronic address: franca.fagioli@unito.it.
authors.forename: Franca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fagioli
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Pediatric Sciences, University of Turin, Medical School, 10136 Turin, Italy; Laboratory of Citoimmunodiagnostics, University Hospital City of Science and Health of Turin, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, Turin, Italy. Electronic address: pierangelo.tovo@unito.it.
authors.forename: Pier-Angelo
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Tovo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Maggiore della Carità, Novara, Italy. Electronic address: paolo.ravanini@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ravanini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000254:growth & development*; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D015684:Gene Products, pol / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D066027:Transplant Recipients; D014775:Virus Activation
chemical_list: D015684:Gene Products, pol; D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: Biomarker; Cancer; Cytomegalovirus; HERV; Retrovirus; Transplant recipient