Unraveling the molecular pathways of DNA-methylation inhibitors: Human endogenous retroviruses induce the innate immune response in tumors

Abstract

Loss of DNA methylation can activate endogenous retroviral expression and dsRNA in cancer cells. This leads to induction of toll-like receptor signaling stimulating an antiviral interferon response. Recent findings provide a therapeutic rationale for combining DNA methylation inhibitors with blockage of immune checkpoint proteins to fight cancer.