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The EGF epidermal growth factor counteracts Tat modulation of human endogenous retroviruses of the W family in astrocytes.

Elena UleriClaudia PiuMaurizio CaocciGabriele IbbaCaterina SerraAntonina Dolei
Published in: Journal of neurovirology (2017)
Human astrocyte cells were exposed to HIV-Tat and/or epidermal growth factor (EGF), to monitor the expression of the neuropathogenic MSRV and Syncytin-1 elements of the HERV-W family of endogenous retroviruses and of TNFα. The results indicate that EGF counteracts Tat regulation of HERV-W/MSRVenv/Syncytin-1, throughout EGFR activation; this effect occurs by interfering with the induction of TNFα production by Tat. The novel effect of EGF counteraction of Tat-mediated regulation of the neuropathogenic HERV-Ws could be neuro-protective, but its actual role in the brain remains to be elucidated.
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