In vitro production of mouse mammary tumor virus in a mouse mammary tumor ascites line

An ascites line derived from a spontaneous mouse mammary carcinoma produces, on explantation and cultivation in vitro, large amounts of oncornavirus particles. The biochemical, biophysical, and electron microscopic characteristics of the virions are described. Molecular hybridization and immunological methods identify these virions as mouse mammary tumor virus.

Murine C-type RNA virus from spontaneous neoplasms: in vitro host range and oncogenic potential

Strain BALB/c mice harbor at least two host range variants of marine leukemia virus. One variant, which is host-cell tropic, is the predominant isolate from neoplastic tissues and produced lymphoreticular neoplasms when injected into BALB/c newborn mice. A second variant, whicht is isolated throughout life, grows poorly in host embryonic cells in culture and was not associated with lymphoreticular neoplasm induction when injected into newborn BALB/c mice.

Intracytoplasmic A particles: mouse mammary tumor virus nucleoprotein cores?

A rapid method for the isolation of intracytoplasmic A particles, the putative intracellular nucleoprotein cores of mouse mammary tumor virus (MTV), is presented. Spontaneous C3H/He mouse mammary tumors and transplantable mouse Leydig cell tumor were used as source material. Large aggregations of intracytoplasmic A particles were separated from cellular contaminants on discontinuous sucrose gradients and subsequently further purified by isopycnic banding in linear sucrose gradients. The purified particles were solubilized in sodium dodecyl sulfate, and the structural proteins were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Purified mouse mammary tumor virions were solubilized, and their proteins were analyzed in the same way. Comparison of co-electrophoretic gels indicated a lack of correlation in the molecular size of the major structural proteins in intracytoplasmic A particles and MTV. The three major proteins of the A particles were calculated to be 80,000; 35,000; and 20,000 daltons. Five major polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis bands were obtained with purified MTV; these were 90,000; 69,000; 55,000; 37,000; and 27,500 daltons. These figures showed good correlation with those published for MTV by Nowinski et al. These results suggest the need for the reexamination of the current tenet that intracytoplasmic particles represent intracellular MTV nucleoprotein cores.

Detection of RNA-instructed DNA polymerase and high molecular weight RNA in malignant tissue

An experimental procedure is detailed that permits the detection of 70S RNA-directed DNA synthesis in mouse mammary carcinomas. The DNA synthesized is complementary to the RNA of the mouse mammary tumor virus by molecular hybridization, thus, completing the proof that an RNA-instructed DNA polymerase has been identified. Further, RNA-instructed DNA polymerase and its 70S RNA template are physically associated in a particle that has a density characteristic of oncornaviruses. These experiments now provide the technology required to perform similar examinations of human neoplasias.

Relationship between organization of mammary tumors and the ability of tumor cells to replicate mammary tumor virus and to recognize growth-inhibitory contact signals in vitro

Mammary tumor virus (MTV) replication was confined primarily to cells organized as acini in intact mouse mammary glands. Primary mammary tumors maintained a high degree of acinar organization and cells therein continued to replicate MTV vegetatively. Nonacinar mammary cells, derived by serial transplantation of acinar tumor cells, no longer actively replicated MTV. This suggests that phenotypic differences exist among mammary epithelial cells in their ability to support virus replication, that a fundamental relationship exists between the organization of epithelium for secretion and active virus replication, and that this relationship is not altered as a primary consequence of neoplastic transformation. Mammary epithelial cells from pregnant, non-tumor-bearing, MTV-infected BALB/cfC3H mice or from acinar mammary tumors from a number of mouse strains were grown in primary monolayer cultures. Such cell cultures under the influence of insulin and cortisol exhibited the ability to organize into discrete three-dimensional structures called "domes." MTV replication in such cultures took place primarily in cells within the organized domes. Cells cultured from nonacinar tumors did not exhibit any propensity to organize into domes, nor did they replicate MTV in primary culture. This suggests that the cell organizational requirement for MTV replication observed in vivo is conserved in primary culture. Dome formation is not an effect of virus replication, as cells from uninfected BALB/c animals organized into domes in culture without concomitant MTV replication. Growth-regulating signals, exerted between contiguous cells in cultures of non-MTV-infected mammary epithelium, were not modified by the occurrence of active virus replication nor as a direct consequence of neoplastic transformation. Cells derived from nontumor BALB/cfC3H glands and from spontaneous tumors exhibited cell growth kinetics, saturation densities, and deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis kinetics nearly identical to those of noninfected normal mammary epithelium in primary culture. Cell to cell growth regulatory signals were modified in cultures of nonalveolar tumor cells wherein evidence of overgrowth is documented.

Spontaneous mammary tumours in SPF C3H-A vy mice: formation of virus structures

Spontaneous mammary tumours developed in specific-pathogen-free C3H/Avy female mice. Virus particles in the tumour cells were predominantly intracytoplasmic A-type particles, presumably the result of vertical transmission. Structural interactions between A particles and some diffuse bodies were observed. The emergence of a new type of particle with a composite structure was noted. No B-type virus particles were detected.

Serological and structural properties of Mason-Pfizer monkey virus isolated from the mammary tumor of a Rhesus monkey

We describe here serological and structural properties of a virus, Mason-Pfizer Monkey Virus (M-PMV), isolated from a simian mammary tumor. This virus is morphologically similar to the known oncogenic RNA viruses (oncornaviruses). It has a 60-70S RNA, and its replication is inhibited by actinomycin. Antisera prepared against the virus isolated by density-gradient centrifugation identify at least two viral structural antigens. Immunodiffusion studies show that this virus is serologically unrelated to three types of simian foamy viruses, visna virus, and the known oncornaviruses. Immunofluorescence reveals that the structural proteins of the virus are synthesized cytoplasmically. Although M-PMV productively infects human cells in vitro, serological analysis does not show the presence of M-PMV antigens in human neoplasia.

Morphogenesis of Bittner virus

The morphogenesis of Bittner virus (mouse mammary tumor virus) was studied in sectioned mammary tumor cells. Internal components of the virus (type A particles) were seen being assembled in virus factories close to the nucleus and were also seen forming at the plasma membrane. The particles in virus factories became enveloped by budding through the membrane of cytoplasmic vacuoles which were derived from dilated endoplasmic reticulum. Complete virus particles were liberated from these vacuoles by cell lysis. Particles budding at the plasma membrane were released into intercellular spaces. Maturation of enveloped virus occurred after release, but mature internal components were rarely seen in the cytoplasm before envelopment. Direct cell-to-cell transfer of virus by pinocytosis of budding particles by an adjacent cell was observed, and unusual forms of budding virus which participated in this process are illustrated and described. There was evidence that some virus particles contained cytoplasmic constituents, including ribosomes. Certain features of the structure of internal components are discussed in relation to a recently proposed model for the internal component of the mouse leukemia virus. Intracisternal virus-like particles were occasionally seen in tumor cells, but there was no evidence that these structures were developmentally related to Bittner virus.