The study uncovers a human-specific regulatory mechanism involving endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), particularly HERVK LTR5Hs, which influence gene expression and lineage specification during early human development, using a stem cell-based blastoid model. Repression of LTR5Hs impairs blastoid formation, alters lineage allocation, and affects the expression of key genes like ZNF729, a human-specific gene regulated by a nearby LTR5Hs insertion that is essential for blastoid formation and proliferation. The work highlights the evolutionary role of ERVs as enhancers shaping human-specific developmental features.
Evaxion Biotech is leveraging AI-Immunology™ to develop tailored cancer vaccines targeting Endogenous Retroviruses (ERVs), an untapped source of tumor antigens, with the goal of providing treatment solutions to cancer patients unresponsive to conventional immunotherapy. The company aims to generate Proof-of-Concept data by the second half of 2024 and has presented recent insights at the American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting. ERVs, remnants of ancient viruses overexpressed in cancer, are promising targets for cancer vaccines, and AI-Immunology™ plays a crucial role in identifying therapeutically relevant ERV tumor antigens from genomic patient tumor data. Evaxion's AI-Immunology™ platform offers a scalable and adaptable approach to vaccine discovery for infectious diseases and cancers, revolutionizing the landscape of immunotherapy with personalized medicine.
