Mammary tumors induced by polyomavirus

The first known member of the Polyomavirus family, murine Polyomavirus (MPyV), was discovered because of its oncogenic properties. The genetic simplicity of MPyV (shared with all members of the Py family), the wide spectrum of tumors induced by MPyV, and the convenient properties of its natural host, the mouse, make it a particularly interesting model system to study oncogenesis. This paper briefly reviews the virus infectious cycle and our current understanding of the viral proteins that are involved in oncogenesis, and focuses on recent studies on oncogenesis of the mammary gland. Mammary gland ductal adenocarcinomas develop at high frequency and with short latency in infected immunoincompetent adult female or normal neonatal mice or in transgenic mice expressing the viral oncogene, middle T. These tumors provide excellent model systems for the study of human breast cancer.

Mammary tumors induced by human adenovirus type 9: a role for the viral early region 4 gene

Human adenovirus type 9 (Ad9) elicits exclusively estrogen-dependent mammary tumors when injected into female rats. Three different histological types of mammary tumor (benign fibroadenomas, phyllodes tumors, and malignant solid sarcomas) have been described in Ad9-infected animals, with benign fibroadenomas being seen most frequently. Interestingly, in contrast to other adenoviruses, in which oncogenic viral functions are entirely encoded within the E1 region, Ad9 requires an E4 region transforming protein (ORF1) for its unique mammary oncogenicity. Studies of Ad9-induced rat mammary tumors may lead to a detailed molecular understanding for the development of fibroadenoma, a common human breast tumor.

Mutations involving the endogenous ecotropic murine leukemia virus in primary mammary carcinomas of BALB/c mice

Endogenous murine leukemia virus-related elements (MLVEs) are often overexpressed in primary mammary carcinomas of BALB/c mice. We therefore searched for mutations associated with MLVEs and found amplified sequences of the ecotropic MLVE in hormonally and chemically induced mammary neoplasms. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis revealed DNA rearrangements consistent with 1-10 or more new copies of the ecotropic MLVE in the genome of these tumors. This is the first evidence of mutations involving an endogenous retrovirus other than mouse mammary tumor virus in mouse mammary carcinomas.

Tumor viruses and endogenous retrotransposons in mammary tumorigenesis

Much of our knowledge about the intricate pathways and molecular mechanisms involved in the conversion of a normal mammary epithelial cell to malignancy derives from studies on mammary tumorigenesis induced by the retrovirus mouse mammary tumor virus. In addition, three DNA tumor viruses, simian virus 40, polyomavirus, and human papillomavirus, have been instrumental in dissecting the series of steps comprising neoplastic progression of mammary epithelium, particularly with cultured human breast cells. Endogenous transposons are analogous bioagents receiving increased attention recently. At least 10% of the cell genome consists of transposable elements, a growing number of which have been implicated in mutagenizing DNA in a variety of human tissues and disorders. Research efforts have therefore intensified to determine if endogenous elements such as retrotransposons participate in the development of breast cancer in animals and humans.

The role of ovarian hormones, age and mammary gland development in polyomavirus mammary tumorigenesis

Polyomavirus infection of adolescent athymic female mice causes a high incidence of mammary adenocarcinomas. We have examined the role of ovarian hormones, age and mammary gland developmental stage at infection on subsequent tumor induction, viral replication and gene expression. Ovariectomy (OVX) of adolescent mice 1 week before infection decreased mammary tumor incidence and number, and significantly increased tumor incidence and number, and significantly increased tumor latency. Reduction in tumorigenesis was observed to a lesser degree if mice were OVX at the time of or after infection, indicating that ovarian hormones are mainly required for tumor initiation. Tumor incidence was also reduced with increasing age; OVX prior to infection at older ages drastically reduced tumor development. Treatment of OVX adult mice with estrogen + progesterone for 1-3 weeks prior to infection was unable to restore tumorigenesis to the level observed in intact mice. Thus, in contrast to adolescent mice, the continued presence of ovarian hormones after infection was required for maximal tumorigenesis in adult mice. The decreased tumorigenesis observed in older animals is not likely due to increased differentiation since late pregnant mice with well differentiated mammary glands remained highly susceptible to tumorigenesis. At 10 days post infection, the levels of viral genomes were moderately high and similar in all experimental groups. Early viral protein and middle T-associated kinase levels were undetectable in infected tissues in all experimental conditions. However, high levels were found in tumors, perhaps reflecting a high dosage requirement for oncogenesis.

Activation of Src family kinases in Neu-induced mammary tumors correlates with their association with distinct sets of tyrosine phosphorylated proteins in vivo

Overexpression and amplification of the erbB-2 (neu) is thought to play a major role in mammary cancer. Although studies suggest that Neu is directly involved in the genesis of mammary tumors, the molecular mechanism by which Neu induces tumors is not well understood. Recently, we have demonstrated that the activity of c-Src tyrosine kinase is elevated in Neu-induced mammary tumors and this elevated activity correlates with its capacity to physically associate with Neu. To explore whether other members of the c-Src family are activated in these mammary tumors, we measured the in vitro kinase activity of the c-Yes and Fyn kinases in protein extracts derived from mammary tumor tissue and morphological normal adjacent tissue. These analyses revealed that c-Yes kinase activity was elevated in Neu-induced tumors by comparison to the adjacent tissue. By contrast, no significant activation of the Fyn kinase was noted in these tumors. Activation of c-Yes tyrosine kinase correlated with the capacity of c-Yes to associate with Neu in vivo in lysates derived from primary tumor samples. Studies with Rat.2 fibroblasts overexpressing activated Neu revealed that c-Src requires the presence of tyrosine phosphorylated Neu for its ability to interact with Neu in vivo. Moreover, analyses using radiolabeled c-Yes SH2 fusion protein revealed that this interaction is likely occurring in a direct fashion. Although both c-Src and c-Yes kinase associate with Neu in vivo, a tyrosine phosphorylated protein of 89 kd (p89) was found associated with c-Src but not with c-Yes in cell lysates derived from mammary epithelial cells transformed by either Neu or PyV middle T antigen. Furthermore, this tyrosine phosphorylated protein was not detected in c-Src complexes derived from fibroblasts transformed by either Neu or PyV middle T. These observations suggest that p89 associates with c-Src only in mammary epithelial cells and not in fibroblasts.

Integration of viral sequences into the c-myc gene in two mammary adenocarcinomas induced by polyomavirus in athymic nude mice

We report the analysis of polyomavirus (Py) DNA integration into chromosomal DNA of two Py-induced mammary adenocarcinomas of athymic nude mice. Prior observations had established that these tumors had high levels of episomal Py DNA, making analysis of integration sites difficult. Propagation of tumor cells in culture allows the isolation of lines which have lost episomal Py DNA but are still tumorigenic and thus can be used for in situ and Southern analysis of Py sequences. The data reported here support the conclusion that Py DNA integrated into and next to the c-myc gene, adding further importance to this tumor system which, in its modifications of c-myc expression, appears to be similar to some human mammary cancers. In situ hybridization experiments on metaphase chromosomes of tumor cells showed that (i) in both cases, there was a single integration site at the same position on the same chromosome in all cells of a given tumor, and (ii) integration sites were different in the two tumors; in one, it was located on chromosome 15, near the c-myc proto-oncogene, and in the other, it was situated in the distal part of chromosome 1. We have demonstrated a probable rearrangement between chromosome 1 and chromosome 15, in the region of Py insertion, thus suggesting that a specific site on chromosome 15 is involved in tumorigenesis. The discovery that Py DNA was integrated at specific sites in host chromosomes raised the questions of whether such integrations were correlated with the activation of specific oncogenes. The rearrangements of the c-myc proto-oncogene observed on Southern blot analysis for both tumors, along with similar integration patterns of Py sequences, the overexpression of the c-myc gene, and the synthesis of abnormal oversized hybrid transcripts between c-myc and Py genes, favor this hypothesis. Finally, the analysis of episomal Py DNA in various tumors shows viral populations presenting a specific deletion in a part of the Py late region. This deleted region in the episomal virus genome was systematically found integrated in chromosomal DNA, thus arguing for the importance of Py integration in the induction of mammary tumor.

Expression of the mouse mammary tumor virus long terminal repeat open reading frame promotes tumorigenic potential of hyperplastic mouse mammary epithelial cells

The retrovirus mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) 3' long terminal repeat (LTR) contains an open reading frame (ORF) for a 36-kDa protein and encodes a superantigen activity [pORF(sag)]. We have tested the potential oncogenic activity of pORF(sag) in two immortalized mouse mammary epithelial cells. We subcloned MMTV LTR ORF DNA into the pRc/CMV mammalian expression vector in order to place LTR ORF transcription under the control of the constitutive CMV promoter. Mouse mammary epithelial cell lines TM3 and FSK7e4 were transfected and G418-resistant cell clones were isolated. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Northern blot analyses revealed modest overexpression of LTR RNA in several transfected cell clones of each line. Individual cell clones were transplanted into cleared mammary gland fat pads of syngeneic BALB/c mice. The parental cell lines and FSK7e4-derived clones did not form tumors, whereas ORF-transfected clones derived from the TM3 cells formed tumors within 8 weeks in 100% of transplanted fat pads in multiple experiments. The tumor cells expressed exogenous LTR ORF RNA and were proven to be derivatives of TM3 cells based on a marker p53 mutation. Immunohistochemistry using a polyclonal antiserum raised against pORF(sag) expressed in insect cells revealed a cytoplasmic reaction in TM3-CMV-LTR tumor cells; a much weaker cytoplasmic reaction was detected in the transfected tissue culture cells. These observations suggest that MMTV pORF(sag) may act as an oncogene in certain mouse mammary epithelial cells and raise the possibility that pORF(sag) may have a role in mammary tumorigenesis. As the parental FSK7 cell line has produced only ductal outgrowths upon transplantation in vivo and the TM3 cell line produces a nontumorigenic hyperplasia, the results suggest further that pORF(sag) may influence the latter stages of mammary tumorigenesis, namely, the preneoplastic to neoplastic transformation.

Suppression of tumor growth in vivo by local and systemic 90K level increase

Expression levels of the immunostimulatory 90K antigen in mammary carcinoma, glioblastoma, and other tumor-derived cell lines inversely correlate with their tumorigenicity in athymic mice. Engineered enhancement of 90K expression results in significant (> 80%) tumor growth inhibition, not by direct action on the tumor cell, but by stimulation of the residual cell-mediated immune defense of the nude mouse. Enhanced 90K level effects are both localized and systemic and involve induction of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in the tumor endothelium. The findings presented suggest a role for 90K as a molecular alarm signal for the body's cellular defense against pathogens, which in a subset of tumors is suppressed to allow cancer progression.

Histopathology of transgenic mouse mammary tumors (a short atlas)

Mammary hyperplasias, dysplasias and tumors have been described in many strains of transgenic mice. Many of the transgenes produce characteristic disturbances of growth, development and neoplasia. The disturbances can now be classified into groups. A classification of transgenic tumors and an atlas illustrating some characteristic examples of common morphological changes in transgenic mammary tissues is provided.

Oncogene activation and oncogene cooperation in MMTV-induced mouse mammary cancer

In this short review, we will give an overview of the various genes that can be activated by insertion of proviral DNA of the mouse mammary tumor virus during the formation of mammary cancer. These genes fall within three families: Wnt genes, FGF genes and Notch-related genes. We will summarize our current understanding of the roles of these genes in tumorigenesis and in normal development, and the mechanisms of action of their gene products. Finally, we will give some examples of cooperation between these genes in various biological settings.

Fgf-8, activated by proviral insertion, cooperates with the Wnt-1 transgene in murine mammary tumorigenesis

We have used mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) infection of Wnt-1 transgenic mice to accelerate mammary tumorigenesis and to molecularly tag insertionally activated proto-oncogenes that cooperate oncogenically with Wnt-1 (G. M. Shackleford, C. A. MacArthur, H. C. Kwan, and H. E. Varmus, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:740-744, 1993). Here we report the identification and characterization of a 31-kb genomic locus that contains clonal MMTV integrations in 8 of 80 mammary tumors from MMTV-infected Wnt-1 transgenic mice. Two genes were identified within this locus, one of which was transcriptionally activated by MMTV insertions. This activated gene is identical to androgen-induced growth factor (AIGF/Fgf-8) (A. Tanaka, K. Miyamoto, N. Minamino, M. Takeda, B. Sato, H. Matsuo, and K. Matsumoto, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:8928-8932, 1992), the eighth member of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family. Transcriptional activation of Fgf-8 was found in all tumors with MMTV insertions in this locus. Fgf-8 mRNA was absent in normal mammary glands and was detected only in adult testis and ovary and in midgestational embryos. The sequences of Fgf-8 genomic and cDNA clones revealed five coding exons, in contrast to the three coding exons found in other FGF genes. cDNAs encoding three isoforms of the FGF-8 protein were isolated. The three corresponding mRNAs resulted from the alternative use of two 5' splice sites and two 3' splice sites for the second and third exons, respectively. These results implicate Fgf-8 as the third FGF gene found to cooperate with Wnt-1 in MMTV-induced murine mammary tumorigenesis, suggesting that FGFs and Wnts are strong collaborators in this process.

Superantigens of mouse mammary tumor virus

Superantigens (SAgs) are proteins of microbial origin that bind to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules and stimulate T cells via interaction with the V beta domain of the T cell receptor (TCR). Mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) is a milk-transmitted type B retrovirus that encodes a SAg in its 3' long terminal repeat. Upon MMTV infection, B cells present SAg to the appropriate T cell subset, which leads to a strong "cognate" T-B interaction. This immune reaction results in preferential clonal expansion of infected B cells and differentiation of some of these cells into long-lived memory cells. In this way a stable MMTV infection is achieved that ultimately results in infection of the mammary gland and virus transmission via milk. Thus, in contrast to many microorganisms that attempt to evade the host immune system (reviewed in 1), MMTV depends upon a strong SAg-induced immune response for its survival. Because of their ability to stimulate very strong T cell responses in MHC-identical mice, minor lymphocyte stimulatory (Mls) antigens, discovered more than 20 years ago, are now known to be SAgs encoded by endogenous MMTV proviruses that have randomly integrated into germ cells. The aim of this review is to combine the extensive biology of Mls SAgs with our current understanding of the life cycle of MMTV.

Insertional mutagenesis identifies a member of the Wnt gene family as a candidate oncogene in the mammary epithelium of int-2/Fgf-3 transgenic mice

Transgenic mice harboring the int-2/Fgf-3 protooncogene under transcriptional control of the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) promoter/enhancer exhibit a dramatic, benign hyperplasia of the mammary gland. In one int-2 transgenic line (TG.NX), this growth disturbance is evoked by pregnancy and regresses after parturition. Regression of hyperplastic mammary epithelium is less complete after successive pregnancies, and, within 10 months, most TG.NX mice stochastically develop mammary carcinomas that are transplantable in virgin, syngeneic mice. To identify genes that cooperate with int-2 in cell transformation, we infected TG.NX transgenic mice with MMTV. In a cohort of 14 animals, most mammary tumors represented clonal or oligoclonal outgrowths harboring one to five proviral MMTV integrants. Eight of 35 (23%) MMTV+ tumors exhibited proviral insertion at the Wnt-1 locus. No provirus was detected at the int-2, int-3, or Wnt-3 loci. By Southern analysis, two tumors had proviral insertions at the same genomic location, which was mapped to chromosome 15. Cloning of this int locus identified an additional member of the Wnt gene family. The predicted 389-amino acid protein is most closely related to zebrafish Wnt-10a (58% amino acid identity over 362 residues) and, based on homology analysis, was designated Wnt-10b. This newly discovered Wnt family member was expressed in the embryo and mammary gland of virgin but not pregnant mice and represents a candidate collaborating oncogene of int-2/Fgf-3 in the mammary epithelium.

The overexpression of int-5/Aromatase, a novel MMTV integration locus gene, is responsible for D2 mammary tumor cell proliferation

Our recent studies have shown that the cellular gene at the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) integration site in the int-5 locus in BALB/c D2 precancerous hyperplastic alveolar nodules is identical to the gene encoding aromatase (CYP19), a member of the cytochrome P450 gene superfamily. MMTV integrated within the 3' untranslated region of the aromatase gene is responsible for the overexpression of this gene (int-5/aromatase) in mammary tumors. This paper describes the biological significance of overexpression of int-5/aromatase in D2 tumor cells. Using a cell line derived from the D2 tumor, we have demonstrated the effect of the aromatase substrate, androstenedione, on the proliferation of tumor cells. Proliferative effects of androstenedione were blocked by an aromatase inhibitor, providing evidence for the role of int-5/aromatase in this process. Furthermore, the androstenedione-mediated proliferation was inhibited by the addition of anti-estrogen ICI 164,384, suggesting that the estrogen formed from the conversion of androstenedione by int-5/aromatase acts like a mitogen to stimulate the growth of D2 tumor cells. This model with its known mechanism of aromatase activation should prove useful for studying the role of intra-tumoral estrogen in mammary cancer, for evaluating the effects of aromatase inhibitors, and for comparing breast cancer treatments.

Transcription of multiple exogenous mouse mammary tumor viruses in a single mammary tumor of an SHN mouse

The SHN mouse strain, established in Japan independently from other mammary tumor-prone strains, is known to have a very high incidence of early-onset mammary tumors. In this study, we demonstrate that exogenous mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) plays a crucial role in early-onset mammary tumorigenesis in this strain. We subsequently isolated MMTV RNA from a mammary tumor of an SHN female mouse, reverse transcribed it, and amplified a 1.2-kb coding region of the long terminal repeat (LTR) by use of the polymerase chain reaction. The products were then subcloned into a pUC18 vector. Six clones were obtained, and their nucleotide sequences were determined. Nucleotide sequences of the six cloned LTRs indicated that two MMTVs are transcribed in the tumor. Both of them had point mutations and were different from known LTR sequences. Both LTRs had a potential open reading frame encoding 320 amino acids. The amino acid variabilities were predominantly between positions 280 and 320 codons when compared with deduced open reading frames. In contrast, only a few point mutations were detected in the regulatory area that contains five glucocorticoid elements, the nuclear factor-1 binding sites, the octamer consensus sequence, and the TATA box. Because point mutations occur more predominantly between positions 280 and 320, it is possible that mutations in this area endow MMTV with beneficial functions for propagation through mutational selection during tumorigenesis.

Cloning in a plasmid of an MMTV from a wild Chinese mouse: sequencing of the viral LTR

Plasmid subcloning by conventional techniques of full length exogenous mouse mammary viruses (MMTV) has not been realized because of the involvement of host-mediated structural changes in the viral gag gene. To circumvent this problem, an alternative subcloning method, excision of phagemid (pBluescript SK) from lambda ZAP II, was successfully used to subclone a novel exogenous MMTV (JYG-MMTV) provirus fragment containing an intact gag gene. Sequence analysis revealed that the LTR of this virus is significantly different from the LTR of C3H-MMTV in the U3 region.

Chemoprevention of mammary tumor virus-induced and chemical carcinogen-induced rodent mammary tumors by natural plant products

The natural plant products turmeric, beta-carotene, catechin, and betel leaf extract were evaluated for their antitumor effects on mammary tumorigenesis in murine mammary tumor expressing C3H (Jax) mice and in Wistar rats treated with the chemical carcinogen 7-12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA). Administration of turmeric through the diet and of beta-carotene, catechin, and betel leaf extract through the drinking water to virgin female C3H mice resulted in decreased tumor incidence and tumor burden. Administering 5% turmeric in the diet from 2 months of age showed suppression of mammary tumor virus-related reverse transcriptase activity and of preneoplastic changes in the mammary glands. Furthermore, feeding turmeric from 6 months of age resulted in a 100% inhibition of mammary tumors. In the DMBA model of rat mammary tumorigenesis, administration of turmeric, catechin, and betel leaf extract resulted in decreased tumor burden and tumor incidence, and a delay in the onset of mammary tumors.

Inability to predict mammary tumorigenesis in strain A mice from presence of mammary tumor virus or antigen in the milk

Strain A females were milked and their milk was tested for mammary tumor virus (MTV) by the hyperplastic alveolar nodule test and for MTV antigen by microimmunodiffusion. An attempt was made to correlate these results with later occurrence of mammary tumors in the females. There was not full agreement between the results of the test for the presence of the MTV and those of the test for MTV antigen, and from these results it was impossible to predict accurately whether a specific female would later develop a tumor. It is concluded that, in this strain, factors other than the MTV can be the determinant in whether the individual female will develop a tumor.