Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Phorbol ester-mediated stimulation of the synthesis of mouse mammary tumour virus

Nature volume 284, pages 71–72 (1980)Cite this article

Abstract

12-O-tetradeconoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) is a potent tumour promoter in the two-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis model1,2. Recently, TPA has been shown to enhance the transformation of cultured cells by two DNA tumour viruses—adenovirus3 and Epstein–Barr virus4. It is not known whether TPA also augments the transformation of cells by RNA tumour viruses. In Rous sarcoma virus (type C) transformed fibroblasts, the levels of plasminogen activator are elevated by TPA5,6, a phenomenon also associated with malignant transformation7,8. In addition, TPA and other promoters induce the synthesis of some herpesviruses in persistently infected cells9,10. I have investigated the effect of TPA on the synthesis of mouse mammary tumour virus (MMTV), type B RNA tumour virus, and find that TPA, in nanogramme quantities, causes a 10- to 20-fold stimulation of MMTV production by persistently infected mouse mammary tumour cells. This stimulation is specific for TPA; the non-promoter, phorbol, does not stimulate MMTV production.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Berenblum, I. in Cancer Vol. 1 (ed. Becker, F. F.) 323–344 (Plenum, New York, 1975).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Scribner, J. D. & Suss, R. Int. Rev. exp. Path. 18, 137–198 (1978).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Fisher, P. B., Weinstein, B., Eisenberg, D. & Ginsberg, H. S. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75, 2311–2314 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Yamamoto, N. & & zur Hausen, H. Nature 280, 244–245 (1979).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Wilson, E. L. & Reich, E. Cell 15, 385–392 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Goldfarb, R. H. & Quigley, J. P. Cancer Res. 38, 4601–4609 (1978).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Rifkin, D. B., Beal, L. P. & Reich, E. in Proteases and Biological Control (eds Eifkin, D.,Reich, E. & Shaw, E.) 841–847 (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, 1975).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Weinstein, I. B., Wigler, M. & Pietropaolo, C. in Origins of Human Cancer (eds Hiatt, H. H., Watson, J. D. & Weinsten, J. A.) 751–772 (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, 1977).

    Google Scholar 

  9. zur Hausen, H., O'Neill, F. J., Freese, U. K. & Hecker, E. Nature 272, 373–375 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. zur Hausen, H., Bornkamm, G. W., Schmidt, R. & Hecker, E. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 76, 782–785 (1979).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Owens, R. B. & Hackett, A. J. J. natn. Cancer Inst. 49, 1321–1332 (1972).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Fine, D. L., Plowman, J. K., Kelley, S. P., Arthur, L. O. & Hillman, E. A. J. natn. Cancer Inst. 52, 1881–1886 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Arya, S. K., Gordon, B. & Young, N. A. Molec. Pharmac. 16, 297–305 (1979).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Arya, S. K., Carter, W. A., Alderfer, J. L. & Ts'O, P. O. P. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 59, 608–615 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Parks, W. P., Scolnick, E. M. & Kozikowski, E. H. Science 184, 158–160 (1974).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Ringold, G. M., Lasfargues, E. Y., Bishop, J. M. & Varmus, H. E. Virology 65, 135–147 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Robertson, D. L. & Varmus, H. E. J. Virol. 30, 576–589 (1979).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. Britten, R. J., Graham, D. E. & Nuefeld, B. R. Meth. Enzym. 29, 363–418 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20205

    S. K. Arya

Authors
  1. S. K. Arya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Arya, S. Phorbol ester-mediated stimulation of the synthesis of mouse mammary tumour virus. Nature 284, 71–72 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/284071a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/284071a0

This article is cited by

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.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing