On viruses, sex, and motherhood

Villarreal, Luis P.

doi:10.1128/jvi.71.2.859-865.1997

Cited by 82 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 85 publications

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“…6,9,10 As a result of their retroviral origin, placental HERV have also been hypothesized to prevent immune rejection of the feto-placental unit. 11,12 This idea is supported by the identification of a putative immunosuppressive domain within the HERV-W peptide sequence, homologous to that found in other retroviruses. 9 However, a more recent study has demonstrated that syncytin 1 lacks immunosuppressive function in a mouse model, 3 while the envelope protein from a closely related W-family retrovirus, multiple sclerosisassociated retroviral element, has been demonstrated to have pro-inflammatory properties.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 76%

Immune cell activation by trophoblast‐derived microvesicles is mediated by syncytin 1

et al. 2012

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Summary Envelope glycoproteins of human endogenous retrovirus (HERV), such as syncytin 1 (HERV‐W), are highly expressed in the placenta and some family members have immunomodulatory properties. Placental microvesicles (MV), which are shed into the maternal circulation during pregnancy, have been demonstrated to induce immune cell activation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the immunological properties of the highly expressed placental HERV‐W protein, syncytin 1, and its potential involvement in placental MV modulation of immune cell activity. The MV shed from first trimester, normal term and pre‐eclamptic term placentas, and from the BeWo trophoblast cell line, all contain syncytin 1. Recombinant syncytin 1 and syncytin 1‐positive BeWo trophoblast MV both induced peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) activation, indicated through production of cytokines and chemokines. Reducing syncytin 1 content in BeWo MV inhibited PBMC activation. Recombinant syncytin 1 and syncytin‐1‐positive BeWo MV dampened PBMC responses to lipopolysaccharide challenge. Our findings suggest that syncytin 1 is shed from the placenta into the maternal circulation in association with MV, and modulates immune cell activation and the responses of immune cells to subsequent lipopolysaccharide stimulation. These studies implicate placental MV‐associated HERV in fetal regulation of the maternal immune system.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 76%

Immune cell activation by trophoblast‐derived microvesicles is mediated by syncytin 1

et al. 2012

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“…These ERVs have been a very important factor in their evolution (Villarreal 2005), and are particularly associated with that mammalian innovation, the placenta (Oliver and Greene 2011). Endogenized retroviruses, and the role they play in evolution, have been extensively detailed elsewhere (Villarreal 1997(Villarreal , 2004(Villarreal , 2005(Villarreal , 2009Ryan 2003Ryan , 2006Ryan , 2007Feschotte and Gilbert 2012).…”

Section: Box 1 Glossary Of Termsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most notable are the fusogenic, ERV env-derived, syncytin-1, and syncytin-2 (Mi et al 2000;Blaise et al 2003), with syncytin-2 also having an immunosuppressive function (Kämmerer et al 2011). The efficient adaptive immune systems of mammals must fail to initiate an immune reaction to the antigens of their embryos and placentas, and mammals alone are very highly infected with the generally immunosuppressive endogenous retroviruses (Villarreal 1997). Intriguingly, retroviruses are abundant around sperm heads and also coat the female placenta (Steele 2009).…”

Section: Retroviruses and The Evolution Of The Mammalian Placentamentioning

confidence: 99%

Transposable elements and viruses as factors in adaptation and evolution: an expansion and strengthening of theTE‐Thrust hypothesis

Oliver

Greene

2012

Ecology and Evolution

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In addition to the strong divergent evolution and significant and episodic evolutionary transitions and speciation we previously attributed to TE-Thrust, we have expanded the hypothesis to more fully account for the contribution of viruses to TE-Thrust and evolution. The concept of symbiosis and holobiontic genomes is acknowledged, with particular emphasis placed on the creativity potential of the union of retroviral genomes with vertebrate genomes. Further expansions of the TE-Thrust hypothesis are proposed regarding a fuller account of horizontal transfer of TEs, the life cycle of TEs, and also, in the case of a mammalian innovation, the contributions of retroviruses to the functions of the placenta. The possibility of drift by TE families within isolated demes or disjunct populations, is acknowledged, and in addition, we suggest the possibility of horizontal transposon transfer into such subpopulations. “Adaptive potential” and “evolutionary potential” are proposed as the extremes of a continuum of “intra-genomic potential” due to TE-Thrust. Specific data is given, indicating “adaptive potential” being realized with regard to insecticide resistance, and other insect adaptations. In this regard, there is agreement between TE-Thrust and the concept of adaptation by a change in allele frequencies. Evidence on the realization of “evolutionary potential” is also presented, which is compatible with the known differential survivals, and radiations of lineages. Collectively, these data further suggest the possibility, or likelihood, of punctuated episodes of speciation events and evolutionary transitions, coinciding with, and heavily underpinned by, intermittent bursts of TE activity.

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“…Viral infections also shaped human evolution and history [206,207]. Interestingly a protein of a viral origin may mediate sperm-egg fusion in mammals [208,209], and endogenous retroviruses play a pivotal role in both placental morphogenesis and suppressing the maternal immune response against the embryo [210][211][212]. These retrotransposon-like sequences which may account for over 40% of the human genome and had been termed "infectrons" [7,13] as mentioned above.…”

Section: Parasites: Singular and Prevailing Driving Forces In The Evomentioning

confidence: 99%

Parasites or Cohabitants: Cruel Omnipresent Usurpers or Creative “Éminences Grises”?

Vannier-Santos

Lenzi

2011

Journal of Parasitology Research

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This paper presents many types of interplays between parasites and the host, showing the history of parasites, the effects of parasites on the outcome of wars, invasions, migrations, and on the development of numerous regions of the globe, and the impact of parasitic diseases on the society and on the course of human evolution. It also emphasizes the pressing need to change the look at the parasitism phenomenon, proposing that the term “cohabitant” is more accurate than parasite, because every living being, from bacteria to mammals, is a consortium of living beings in the pangenome. Even the term parasitology should be replaced by cohabitology because there is no parasite alone and host alone: both together compose a new adaptive system: the parasitized-host or the cohabitant-cohabited being. It also suggests switching the old paradigm based on attrition and destruction, to a new one founded on adaptation and living together.

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On viruses, sex, and motherhood

Cited by 82 publications

References 85 publications

Immune cell activation by trophoblast‐derived microvesicles is mediated by syncytin 1

Immune cell activation by trophoblast‐derived microvesicles is mediated by syncytin 1

Transposable elements and viruses as factors in adaptation and evolution: an expansion and strengthening of theTE‐Thrust hypothesis

Parasites or Cohabitants: Cruel Omnipresent Usurpers or Creative “Éminences Grises”?

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