Expression of endogenous retroviral elements is associated with extracellular matrix remodeling in prostate cancer

Authors

Emily C. Williams, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, 20052, USA.
Dewanga R. Mayarata, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, 20052, USA.
Anelia Horvath, The George Washington University Cancer Center, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC , 20052, USA.
Katherine B. Chiappinelli, The George Washington University Cancer Center, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC , 20052, USA.
Maho Shibata, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, 20052, USA. mshibata@gwu.edu.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

1-8-2026

Journal

Mobile DNA

Volume

17

Issue

1

DOI

10.1186/s13100-025-00382-9

Keywords

ERV; Prostate; TRIM28

Abstract

How endogenous retroviral elements (ERVs), a family of transposable elements, may promote tumor progression is not well understood. Tripartite motif-containing 28 (TRIM28/TIF1b/KAP1) is a key transcriptional co-repressor protein that represses ERV expression in many cell types including embryonic stem cells, neural progenitor cells, differentiated adult cells, and cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the effect of Trim28 deletion on the expression of ERVs using an immune competent genetically engineered mouse model for prostate cancer. We found Trim28 deletion in prostate tumors led to the expression of ERVs in prostates from both hormonally intact and castrated mice. ERVs can regulate the expression of neighboring genes, and we detected increased expression of several protein-coding genes near overexpressed ERVs. Our data suggest that Trim28 deletion in prostate tumor epithelial cells may promote an innate immune response. However, Trim28 deletion also led to excessive deposition of tumor extracellular matrix (ECM). Our findings suggest that ECM alterations downstream of ERV derepression could affect immune cells in the tumor microenvironment and may promote tumor progression.

APA Citation

Williams, Emily C.; Mayarata, Dewanga R.; Horvath, Anelia; Chiappinelli, Katherine B.; and Shibata, Maho, "Expression of endogenous retroviral elements is associated with extracellular matrix remodeling in prostate cancer" (2026). GW Authored Works. Paper 8602.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/8602

Department

Anatomy and Regenerative Biology