Endogenous retroviruses are associated with hippocampus-based memory impairment
Sankowski R, Strohl JJ, Huerta TS, Nasiri E, Mazzarello AN, D'Abramo C, Cheng KF, Staszewski O, Prinz M, Huerta PT, Al-Abed Y.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. online article
Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) consist of interspersed genomic elements derived from retroviral infections that invaded our ancestral germ lines. Notably, ERVs compose 8 to 10% of the human and mouse genomes. Until recently, ERVs were considered unimportant, so-called “junk” DNA. However, this naïve characterization has changed dramatically as distinct ERV-related functions are revealed in heath and disease. In this study, we demonstrate that chronic ERV activation is associated with cognitive impairment, measured with hippocampus-related tasks, in a mouse model. We confirm these findings in an independent mouse model of acute retroviral activation and show that cognitive deficits are mitigated in the absence of the retroviral RNA sensor protein MAVS. Our results point to an underappreciated therapeutic modality for impaired cognition.
