Construction and properties of an "artificial" spleen focus-forming virus

Deregulation of erythropoiesis by the Friend spleen focus-forming virus

The proliferation and differentiation of erythroid cells is a highly regulated process that is controlled primarily at the level of interaction of erythropoietin (Epo) with its specific cell surface receptor (EpoR). However, this process is deregulated in mice infected with the Friend spleen focus-forming virus (SFFV). Unlike normal erythroid cells, erythroid cells from SFFV-infected mice are able to proliferate and differentiate in the absence of Epo, resulting in erythroid hyperplasia and leukemia. Over the past 20 years, studies have been carried out to identify the viral genes responsible for the pathogenicity of SFFV and to understand how expression of these genes leads to the deregulation of erythropoiesis in infected animals. The studies have revealed that SFFV encodes a unique envelope glycoprotein which interacts specifically with the EpoR at the cell surface, resulting in activation of the receptor and subsequent activation of erythroid signal transduction pathways. This leads to the proliferation and differentiation of erythroid precursor cells in the absence of Epo. Although the precise mechanism by which the viral protein activates the EpoR is not yet known, it has been proposed that it causes dimerization of the receptor, resulting in constitutive activation of Epo signal transduction pathways. While interaction of the SFFV envelope glycoprotein with the EpoR leads to Epo-independent erythroid hyperplasia, this is not sufficient to transform these cells. Transformation requires the viral activation of the cellular gene Sfpi-1, whose product is thought to block erythroid cell differentiation. By understanding how SFFV can deregulate erythropoiesis, we may gain insights into the causes and treatment of related diseases in man.

Erythroleukaemia induction by the Friend spleen focus-forming virus

The Friend spleen focus-forming virus has been a valuable tool for understanding the molecular events involved in the multiple stages of leukaemia. As summarized in Figure 3, the primary effect of SFFV, which occurs within days, is to cause a polyclonal proliferation of erythroid precursor cells that can proliferate in the absence of their normal regulator erythropoietin. This is the direct result of the unique envelope glycoprotein encoded by SFFV, which is transported to the cell surface and apparently interacts with the EpoR or another component of the multimeric EpoR complex, resulting in the constitutive activation of the Epo signal transduction pathway. Within this proliferating population of erythroid cells is a rare cell that has undergone several genetic changes due to the integration of the viral genome in specific sites in the mouse DNA. This leads to the activation of a gene encoding the PU.1 transcription factor, whose high expression in erythroid cells may be the cause of the block in differentiation that is characteristic of SFFV-transformed erythroid cells. SFFV integration can also lead to the inactivation of the p53 tumour supressor gene, giving these cells a growth advantage in the mouse. The disease induced by SFFV in mice is very similar to polycythaemia vera in humans (Golde et al, 1981). The major clinical feature of polycythaemia vera is the continuous expansion of the number of mature red blood cells in the presence of low serum Epo levels. Also, BFU-E and CFU-E from these patients can form in the absence of Epo like the analogous cells from SFFV-infected mice (Casadevall et al, 1982). It is possible that haematopoietic cells from individuals suffering from this disease express a protein similar to the envelope glycoprotein of SFFV that can interact with the EpoR and lead to its constitutive activation. Alternatively, these patients may contain a mutant EpoR gene that is constitutively activated like the mutant EpoR described earlier. As we understand more fully how the SFFV envelope protein constitutively activates te EpoR complex, we can begin to design therapies to counteract its action that can then be applied to treating patients with polycythaemia vera or other human diseases associated with uncontrolled erythropoiesis.

A carboxy-terminal mutant spleen focus-forming virus (SFFV) envelope glycoprotein is transport-competent, but non-leukemogenic

The Friend spleen focus-forming virus (F-SFFV) codes for a transport-defective leukemogenic envelope glycoprotein designated as gp52. We have previously shown that the external domain of gp52 carries the determinants responsible for its transport defect. Consistent with this idea, truncated gp52 molecules that lack a hydrophobic membrane anchor were transport-defective, and were not secreted from cells. In this report, we describe the construction of a mutant SFFV envelope gene that codes for altered gp52 molecules in which the carboxyl-terminal hydrophobic residues are replaced with exogenous hydrophilic residues encoded by the vector-derived sequences. The mutant env gene was expressed using the retroviral expression vector, pLXSN, and the mutant envelope protein was found to be transport-competent, and efficiently secreted from the cells. However, M-MuLV pseudotypes of the retroviral vectors expressing the mutant genome were found to be non-leukemogenic in mice.

A 585-bp deletion found in the spleen focus-forming virus (SFFV) env gene is responsible for the defective intracellular transport of SFFV gp52

The Friend spleen focus-forming virus (F-SFFV) codes for a transport defective, leukemogenic envelope glycoprotein designated as gp52. Gp52 closely resembles the envelope glycoproteins (gp70-p15E) encoded by the mink cell focus-forming viruses (MCFV). The major differences between SFFV and MCFV include a 585-bp deletion and a frame-shift mutation near the 3' end of the SFFV env gene. We have constructed a mutant MCFV env gene, which contains a 585-bp deletion like that found in the SFFV env gene, and expressed this gene using recombinant vaccinia vectors or retroviral vectors. The mutant MCFV env gene expressed a truncated, transport defective glycoprotein (gp57). Only a small proportion of gp57 underwent further oligosaccharide processing. Intracellular gp57 remained predominantly monomeric and only a small proportion of gp57 (and its processed forms) formed disulfide-linked dimers and trimers which resembled those formed by SFFV gp52. Processed forms of gp57 were found on the cell surfaces and in culture fluids. The extracellular forms had a faster electrophoretic mobility than the intracellular-processed forms of gp57. These results indicate that the 585-bp deletion found in SFFV env gene is responsible for the folding, transport, and secretion of gp52. Retroviral vectors carrying the mutant MCFV env gene were nonpathogenic (or weakly pathogenic) in adult mice. The results indicate that the 585-bp deletion, although essential, is not the sole determinant of SFFV-induced disease in adult mice.