Properties of “mink cell focus-inducing” (MCF) virus isolated from spontaneous lymphoma lines of BALB/c mice carrying moloney leukemia virus as an endogenous virus

Virology ◽  
1979 ◽  
Vol 93 (1) ◽  
pp. 226-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marguerite Vogt
Author(s):  
N. Savage ◽  
A. Hackett

A cell line, UC1-B, which was derived from Balb/3T3 cells, maintains the same morphological characteristics of the non-transformed parental culture, and shows no evidence of spontaneous virus production. Survey by electron microscopy shows that the cell line consists of spindle-shaped cells with no unusual features and no endogenous virus particles.UC1-B cells respond to Moloney leukemia virus (MLV) infection by a change in morphology and growth pattern which is typical of cells transformed by sarcoma virus. Electron microscopy shows that the cells are now variable in shape (rounded, rhomboid, and spindle), and each cell type has some microvilli. Virtually all (90%) of the cells show virus particles developing at the cell surface and within the cytoplasm. Maturing viruses, typical of the oncogenic viruses, are found along with atypical tubular forms in the same cell.


Author(s):  
U.I. Heine ◽  
G.R.F. Krueger ◽  
E. Munoz ◽  
A. Karpinski

Infection of newborn mice with Moloney leukemia virus (M-MuLV) causes a T-cell differentiation block in the thymic cortex accompanied by proliferation and accumulation of prethymic lymphoblasts in the thymus and subsequent spreading of these cells to generate systemic lymphoma. Current evidence shows that thymic reticular epithelial cells (REC) provide a microenvironment necessary for the maturation of prethymic lymphoblasts to mature T-lymphocytes by secretion of various thymic factors. A change in that environment due to infection of REC by virus could be decisive for the failure of lymphoblasts to mature and thus contribute to lymphoma development.We have studied the morphology and distribution of the major thymic cell populations at different stages of tumorigenesis in Balb/c mice infected when newborn with 0.2ml M-MuLV suspension, 6.8 log FFU/ml. Thymic tissue taken at 1-2 weekly intervals up to tumor development was processed for light and electron microscopy, using glutaraldehyde-OsO4fixation and Epon-Araldite embedding.


1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 4994-5003
Author(s):  
S J Tapscott ◽  
A B Lassar ◽  
H Weintraub

The MyoD gene can orchestrate the expression of the skeletal muscle differentiation program. We have identified the regions of the gene necessary to reproduce transcription specific to skeletal myoblasts and myotubes. A proximal regulatory region (PRR) contains a conserved TATA box, a CCAAT box, and a GC-rich region that includes a consensus SP1 binding site. The PRR is sufficient for high levels of skeletal muscle-specific activity in avian muscle cells. In murine cells the PRR alone has only low levels of activity and requires an additional distal regulatory region to achieve high levels of muscle-specific activity. The distal regulatory region differs from a conventional enhancer in that chromosomal integration appears necessary for productive interactions with the PRR. While the Moloney leukemia virus long terminal repeat can enhance transcription from the MyoD PRR in both transient and stable assays, the simian virus 40 enhancer cannot, suggesting that specific enhancer-promoter interactions are necessary for PRR function.


1999 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 2434-2441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Bonzon ◽  
Hung Fan

ABSTRACT Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV) is a replication-competent, simple retrovirus that induces T-cell lymphoma with a mean latency of 3 to 4 months. During the preleukemic period (4 to 10 weeks postinoculation) a marked decrease in thymic size is apparent for M-MuLV-inoculated mice in comparison to age-matched uninoculated mice. We were interested in studying whether the thymic regression was due to an increased rate of thymocyte apoptosis in the thymi of M-MuLV-inoculated mice. Neonatal NIH/Swiss mice were inoculated subcutaneously (s.c.) with wild-type M-MuLV (approximately 105 XC PFU). Mice were sacrificed at 4 to 11 weeks postinoculation. Thymic single-cell suspensions were prepared and tested for apoptosis by two-parameter flow cytometry. Indications of apoptosis included changes in cell size and staining with 7-aminoactinomycin D or annexin V. The levels of thymocyte apoptosis were significantly higher in M-MuLV-inoculated mice than in uninoculated control animals, and the levels of apoptosis were correlated with thymic atrophy. To test the relevance of enhanced thymocyte apoptosis to leukemogenesis, mice were inoculated with the Mo+PyF101 enhancer variant of M-MuLV. When inoculated intraperitoneally, a route that results in wild-type M-MuLV leukemogenesis, mice displayed levels of enhanced thymocyte apoptosis comparable to those seen with wild-type M-MuLV. However, in mice inoculated s.c., a route that results in attenuated leukemogenesis, significantly lower levels of apoptosis were observed. This supported a role for higher levels of thymocyte apoptosis in M-MuLV leukemogenesis. To examine the possible role of mink cell focus-forming (MCF) recombinant virus in raising levels of thymocyte apoptosis, MCF-specific focal immunofluorescence assays were performed on thymocytes from preleukemic mice inoculated with M-MuLV and Mo+PyF101 M-MuLV. The results indicated that infection of thymocytes by MCF virus recombinants is not required for the increased level of apoptosis and thymic atrophy.


1980 ◽  
Vol 151 (4) ◽  
pp. 975-979 ◽  
Author(s):  
J S Tung ◽  
E Fleissner

Thymocytes of AKR mice express two species of gp70, the envelope glycoprotein of murine leukemia virus (MuLV), encoded by the env gene. One is denoted Ec+ gp70 in reference to the type-antigen Ec and association with ecotropic virus. The other, Ec- gp70, resembles gp70 found also on thymocytes of mouse strains that are not overt producers of MuLV, and has no evident relation to ecotropic virus. Expression of Ec- gp70 type, but not of Ec+ gp70 type, is amplified with age on AKR thymocytes. In contrast, viral core polyproteins, encoded by the gag gene and simultaneously amplified with age, appear to be related to ecotropic virus. These observations imply selective amplification of products of env and gag genes from two sorts of provirus, a phenomenon which may be connected to the dual genetic origin of recombinant mink-cell-focus inducing viruses in AKR mice.


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