Endogenous retroelements and the host innate immune sensors

X Mu, S Ahmad, S Hur - Advances in immunology, 2016 - Elsevier
The ability to distinguish between self and nonself is the fundamental basis of the immune
system in all organisms. The conceptual distinction between self and nonself, however,
breaks down when it comes to endogenous retroviruses and other retroelements. While
some retroelements retain the virus-like features including the capacity to replicate and
reinvade the host genome, most have become inactive through mutations or host epigenetic
silencing. And yet, accumulating evidence suggests that endogenous retroelements, both …