Abstract
Naturally occurring cancer seems to be a multiple-hit phenomenon resulting from the interaction of several factors. Numerous environmental carcinogens on one hand and the widespread tumour viruses on the other, are capable of either transforming cells in vitro or inducing tumours in vivo. A few years ago, based on epidemiological evidence, a possible interaction between bovine papilloma viruses and an environmental carcinogen in bracken fern was noted in conjunction with alimentary cancer in cattle1. We report here that tumour-promoting agents which by themselves are unable to transform cells, are capable of inducing the transcription of bovine papilloma virus type 1 (BPV-1) in mouse embryo fibroblast (MEF) tissue cultures, where the viral genomes reside in a non-expressed episomal state after infection. In such cells, one brief treatment with the tumour promoter results in the transcription of the same viral mRNA species present in BPV-1-induced tumours and in BPV-1-transformed cells. Furthermore, viral DNA is replicated and the cells acquire the transformed phenotype. Once activated, these properties remain stable. This interaction between tumour promoters and latent inactive tumour virus genomes leads, in appropriate cell systems, to the activation of particular viral genes and to the transformed phenotype of the host cells.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Jarrett, W. F. H., McNeil, P. E., Grimshaw, W. T. R., Selman, I. E. & McIntyre, W. I. M. Nature 274, 215–217 (1978).
Friedman, J. C. et al. C. r. hebd. Séanc. Acad. Sci., Paris 257, 2328–2331 (1963).
Olson, C., Gordon, D. E., Robl, M. G. & Lee, K. P. Arch envir. Hlth 19, 827–837 (1969).
Lancaster, W. D., Olson, C. & Meinke, W. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74, 524–528 (1977).
Black, P. H., Hartley, J. W., Rowe, W. P. & Huebner, R. J. Nature 199, 1016–1018 (1963).
Boiron, M., Levy, J. P., Thomas, M., Friedman, J. C. & Bernard, J. Nature 201, 423–424 (1964).
Amtmann, E., Müller, H. & Sauer, G. J. Virol. 35, 962–964 (1980).
Law, M. F., Douglas, R., Lowy, D. R., Dvoretzky, I. & Howley, P. M. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78, 2727–2731 (1981).
Lancaster, W. D. Virology 108, 251–255 (1981).
Pfister, H., Fink, B. & Thomas, C. Virology 115, 414–418 (1981).
Moar, M. H., Campo, M. S., Laird, H. M. & Jarrett, W. F. H. J. Virol. 39, 945–949 (1981).
Moar, M. H., Campo, M. S., Laird, H. & Jarrett, W. F. H. Nature 293, 749–751 (1981).
Orth, G., Jeanteur, P. & Croissant, O. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 68, 1876–1880 (1971).
Amtmann, E. & Sauer, G. J. Virol. (in the press).
Meischke, H. R. C. J. Virol. 43, 473–487 (1979).
Southern, E. M. J. molec. Biol. 98, 503–517 (1975).
Zur Hausen, H., O'Neill, F., Freese, U. K. & Hecker, E. Nature 272, 373–375 (1978).
Krieg, P., Amtmann, E. & Sauer, G. FEBS Lett. 128, 191–194 (1981).
Thomas, P. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77, 5201–5205 (1980).
Fürstenberger, G., Berry, D. L., Sorg, B. & Marks, F. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78, 7722–7726 (1981).
Storz, J., Rott, R. & Kaluza, G. Infect. Immunity 31, 1214–1222 (1981).
Krieg, P. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78, 6446–6450 (1981).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Amtmann, E., Sauer, G. Activation of non-expressed bovine papilloma virus genomes by tumour promoters. Nature 296, 675–677 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/296675a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/296675a0
This article is cited by
-
Arsenic: opportunity for risk assessment
Archives of Toxicology (1991)
-
Chromsome aberrations in cattle raised on bracken fern pasture
Experientia (1988)
-
Viral replication in HeLa/fibroblast hybrid cells infected with human cytomegalovirus
Archives of Virology (1987)
-
Bovine papillomavirus genome elicits skin tumours in transgenic mice
Nature (1986)
-
Phorbol ester induces the transcriptional stimulatory activity of the SV40 enhancer
Nature (1986)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.