Avian oncovirus proteins expressed on the surface of infected cells

Exogenous mouse mammary tumor virus proviral DNA isolated from a kidney adenocarcinoma cell line contains alterations in the U3 region of the long terminal repeat

Mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) is a B-type retrovirus which induces predominantly mammary carcinomas after a relatively long latency period. To date, very little is known about the reasons for the strict tissue specificity of MMTV. The BALB/cf/Cd strain of mice, which was infected with milk-borne MMTV (C3H), shows a high incidence of kidney adenocarcinomas, and our data suggest that MMTV might be involved in the formation of these tumors. Newly integrated exogenous MMTV proviruses were found in the genome of transplanted tumor cells as well as in the DNA of a cell line derived from one tumor, but not in normal cells of BALB/cf/Cd mice. The MMTV DNA in these tumor cells was transcribed and viral RNA synthesis was strongly stimulated by glucocorticoid hormones. Viral structural polypeptides, comparable in size and antigenicity to MMTV polypeptides of infected mammary tumor cells were synthesized and processed normally in the cell line and were organized correctly into intracytoplasmic particles. Heteroduplex analysis of the molecularly cloned MMTV proviral DNAs of kidney and mammary tumor origin revealed a high degree of homology in the gag, pol, and env genes. A striking difference, however, was observed in the U3 region of the two LTRs that might relate to the different tissue specificity of the two viruses.

Retrovirus RD114 p30 is bound by the extracellular matrix proteins, fibronectin and laminin

Purified retrovirus RD114 p30 was found to bind to the extracellular matrix proteins, fibronectin and laminin. The purified matrix proteins were immobilized onto polystyrene and the binding of p30 was quantitated using radioiodinated proteins and enzyme immunoassay (EIA). The dissociation constants were for the p30-fibronectin binding Kd = 5.3 X 10(-8) M and for the p30-laminin Kd = 7.3 X 10(-8) M. The molecular ratio in the binding from 4000 ng/ml of p30 was 1.9 mol per mol fibronectin and 2.5 mol per mol laminin. The interaction between fibronectin and RD114 retrovirus was also detected using a modified immunoblotting procedure.

Avian acute leukemia virus OK10 has an 8.2-kilobase genome and modified glycoprotein gp 78

We have analyzed the structure of OK10-BM virus, an avian acute leukemia virus produced by a bone marrow-derived cell line of macrophage origin, and compared it with that of OK10 AV, an associated virus originally present in the OK10 virus stock. The RNAs of OK10-BM virus and OK10 AV had the same mobility in agarose gels, corresponding to 8.0 to 8.5 kilobases, a size considerably larger than that of the transforming component (5 to 6 kb) of most other avian acute leukemia viruses. Fingerprint analysis showed a close relationship between OK10-BM virus and OK10 AV RNAs. The polypeptide compositions of OK10-BM and OK10 AV viruses were similar except for the envelope glycoproteins. In analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the large envelope glycoprotein of OK10-BM virus migrated at M(r) = 78,000 (gp78), whereas OK10 AV had the characteristic 85,000-dalton glycoprotein (gp85) of nondefective avian leukemia viruses. gp78 was weakly labeled with methionine, glycine, proline, or mannose, suggesting that purified OK10-BM virus had reduced amounts of the modified envelope glycoprotein. In cell-free rabbit reticulocyte lysates, OK10-BM virion RNA directed the synthesis of a 200,000-dalton polypeptide (p200), a 180,000-dalton polypeptide (pr180), and a 76,000-dalton polypeptide (pr76), whereas OK10 AV RNA gave rise only to pr180 and pr76, suggesting that p200 may represent an OK10-BM-encoded transforming protein. No biochemical evidence for the presence of an associated helper virus was found in the OK10-BM virus population produced by the macrophage cell line. However, when OK10-BM virus was serially passaged in chicken embryo fibroblasts, a virus having structural properties similar to those of OK10 AV (OK10 AV-specific oligonucleotides and gp85) appeared after three passages. Moreover, nonproducer clones of transformed cells could be readily obtained in OK10-BM virus-infected quail cell cultures. It is thus likely that the bone marrow-derived macrophage cell line produces a transforming virus defective in its env gene and low amounts of an associated helper virus, which upon transfer to fibroblasts is preferentially replicated.

Effect of tunicamycin on cell fusion induced by Mason-Pfizer monkey virus

Mason-Pfizer monkey virus, a D-type retrovirus, has been shown to induce multinucleate cell (syncytium) formation or cell fusion in several normal primate cells. A series of experiments has been carried out to examine whether a glycosylated "fusion-inducing" product is responsible for this biological property of Mason-Pfizer monkey virus. Treatment of rhesus monkey fetal lung cells with different concentrations of tunicamycin, a potent inhibitor of glycosylation, during infection with Mason-Pfizer monkey virus had no effect on cell fusion even though up to 5 micrograms of the drug per ml was tested. Furthermore, no significant effect on the extent of syncytium formation in rhesus monkey fetal lung cells was observed when the time of addition or duration of treatment with this inhibitor was varied. Nevertheless, tunicamycin was very effective in blocking glycosylation in rhesus cells since virions produced in the presence of this drug completely lacked gp70 and gp20, the two structural glycoproteins of Mason-Pfizer monkey virus. These non-glycosylated virus particles produced in the presence of tunicamycin were noninfectious as determined by a protein A binding assay and were unable to induce syncytium formation when assayed on rhesus cells. These results indicate that glycosylation of the fusion-inducing product is not required for multinucleate cell formation induced by Mason Pfizer monkey virus.

Cloned mouse mammary tumor virus DNA is biologically active in transfected mouse cells and its expression is stimulated by glucocorticoid hormones

We have cloned circular unintegrated mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) DNA from infected rat hepatoma cells in bacteriophage lambda. Seven independent clones containing MMTV DNA of homogeneous length of 9 kb (five) or 10 kb (two) were identified. The five 9 kb clones had identical restriction maps consistent with that of 9 kb unintegrated DNA; the other two were aberrant. MMTV DNA inserts were purified, ligated and used for cotransfection of Ltk- cells together with a plasmid containing the thymidine kinase gene of herpes simplex virus. All Tk+ cell clones acquired new MMTV sequences and those transfected with the 9 kb MMTV DNA synthesized normal viral RNA and proteins. Viral gene expression was increased by the addition of dexamethasone.

Retroviral antigens on gs- chf- leukocytes

It has recently been suggested that the endogenous retroviruses present in many different species might be involved during stimulation of the immune system of their hosts. We have now studied the expression of two avian retroviral antigens p27 and gp85 in chicken lymphoid cells by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) and by complement-dependent microcytotoxicity (CDM). We have now found that these viral antigens are expressed in peripheral blood leukocytes of adults and embryos and in splenic and bursal lymphocytes of Spafas gs- chf- chickens but they are not expressed in fibroblasts cultured from the feather follicles of the same individual adult birds nor in fibroblasts cultured from embryos of the same flock. The differential expression of viral antigens in leukocytes may be related to a specific property or function of these cells.