[Expression of endogenous retroviruses of the HERV-K/HTDV family in patient with germinogenic tongue tumors].

Transcription of HERV-K/HTDV proviruses in various morphological forms of GCTs and in normal testicular parenchyma and placenta was studied by RT-PCR with specific primers discriminating type 1 proviruses from type 2 ones. The results indicate that transcription of type 2 HERV-K/HTDV proviruses takes place and mRNA of protein cORF, coded for only by type 2 proviruses, is synthesized in all malignant germinogenic tumors. In normal testicular tissue and placenta type 1 HERV-K/HTDV proviruses are expressed. No expression of HERV-K/HTDV proviruses was detected in nongerminogenic testicular tumors. Since cORF protein possesses transforming activity, its possible role in the pathogenesis of GCTs is discussed. Generation of humoral immune response to structural HERV-K/HTDV proteins in various morphological forms of GCTs confirmed the possibility of using antibodies to structural HERV-K/HTDV proteins as additional markers of GCTs.