DNA carries an ancient viral signature capable of destroying cancer

Part of the ancient virus that infected human ancestors for millions of years still lurks in our DNA.

According to the RT channel, researchers from Crick Group (UK) have just published a new work in the scientific journal Genome Research showing that about 8% of the human genome has DNA contaminated with retroviru s (a virus when access to the human body capable of performing reverse transcription).

Reactivating infected DNA can create a 'product' in the immune system.

Normally, these DNA is not working, but they can reactivate if a cell becomes cancerous.

Scientists have long studied viral DNA to find reactivation when dealing with cancer . Reactivating the infected DNA can create a 'product' in the immune system and researchers believe that factor can be exploited to fight cancer.

The team collected and analyzed DNA samples from patients infected with 31 different types of cancer to list a huge data list of factors produced from endogenous retrovirus, narrowing down the range. and '9 unique antigens' can be detected in the immune system.

'We hope this approach will form the basis for cancer therapy in the future, if we help activate the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells with newly discovered antigens. ' , Explains Dr. George Kassiotis - who leads the research team.