The hidden viruses in our DNA could be medicine's next big breakthrough is the Human Endogenous Retroviruses or HERVs and Junk DNA Reimagined.
Junk DNA Reimagined, which was once considered useless, are viral sequencers that are now seen as being crucial genetic regulators, with some elements like the LTR10 fragment acting as enhancers which turn on cancer related genes.
HERVs or Human Endogenous Retroviruses are remnants of ancient retroviruses which infected our ancestors millions of years ago and they also integrated their genetic material into our own DNA, which makes up around 8% of the human genome.
HERVs or Human Endogenous Retroviruses are now emerging as a major breakthrough source for therapies and even diagnostics, especially in cancer, neurodegeneration and autoimmunity, but offering new targets like the HERV-K Env protein, or even acting as triggers for the body's immune system when reactivated by conditions like VHL mutations in kidney cancer, which reveal "junk DNA" potential in medication.
HERV proteins that are reactivated on cancer cell surfaces can flag tumors for immune attack, which offers new avenues for immunotherapy, especially in kidney cancers.
The unique structure of HERV-K Env protein's is being studied for new cancer diagnostics.
HERVs are also implicated in autoimmune disorders and neurodegeneration, with startups also exploring them for treatments.
Their activation can also be linked to disease, which provide targets to block or leverage.
Decoding of viral protein structures like HERV-K Env, provides blueprints for designing drugs.
And understanding how these elements interact with our genes can also potentially lead to new ways of controlling gene expression.
The most recently active HERV group, it's proteins are found on cancer as well as autoimmune cells.
And an ancient retroviral fragment which turns on cancer genes, is also found in many cancers that are common.
Scientists are basically unlocking the dark genome, in order to find therapeutic opportunities, and are viewing these viral fossils not as threats, but instead as hidden tools to fight off disease.