Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42194057›Full record

ReviewBiomolecules2026

Mechanism and Therapeutic Potential of Viral Mimicry in Cancer Immunotherapy.

Alisha Pearl Kirkland, Mahek Shah, Charles Spruck

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Biomolecules, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Alisha Pearl KirklandCancer Genome and Epigenetics Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.ORCID 0009-0008-6057-351X
Mahek ShahCancer Genome and Epigenetics Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.ORCID 0009-0001-8306-2682
Charles SpruckCancer Genome and Epigenetics Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0453-6796

Funding

NIH HHS 5R01CA267103-21NIH HHS 5R01CA269339-22United States Department of Defense HT9425-23-1-0135
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Cancer immunotherapy has transformed oncology by harnessing the immune system to recognize and eliminate malignant cells. However, many cancers exhibit limited or variable responses to this class of treatment due to insufficient antigen presentation and impaired interferon (IFN) signaling, creating an immunologically "cold" tumor microenvironment (TME) characterized by poor immune cell infiltration and treatment resistance. Viral mimicry has emerged as a therapeutic strategy to overcome these limitations by reactivating innate antiviral pathways within tumor cells. Viral mimicry occurs through the reactivation of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) and other retrotransposons (e.g., LINE-1), which subsequently stimulate downstream nucleic acid sensing pathways. The resulting type I/III IFN responses restore antigen presentation and attract cytotoxic immune cells, sensitizing resistant tumors to immunotherapy. However, systemic stimulation of these pathways can trigger context-dependent inflammation and adaptive resistance, highlighting the need for temporal and spatial control. In this review, we examine the mechanistic foundation and clinical trajectory of viral mimicry, with an emphasis on its potential integration with established treatments and engineered immune cell platforms. By identifying the molecular and clinical gaps, viral mimicry can be harnessed to enhance tumor-specific immune activation and overcome treatment resistance in cancer immunotherapy.

Indexed as

ImmunotherapyMolecular MimicryNeoplasmsAnimalsEndogenous RetrovirusesHumansTumor Microenvironmentadaptive immunitycancer immunotherapychimeric antigen receptorclinical trialsepigenetic alterationgenomic instabilityinnate immunitynatural killer cellsneoantigensrepetitive elementsT cellsviral mimicry

Identifiers

PMID42194057
PMCPMC13204691

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.