Variation in oncogenic and transforming potential of PARA (defective SV40)-adenovirus 7

Antibodies to adeno-associated satellite virus and herpes simplex in sera from cancer patients and normal adults

The ecologic aspects of the distribution of adeno-associated satellite virus (ASV) in the human population are of great interest because of its unconditional defectiveness and dependence on adenovirus for full and herpesvirus for partial complementation. Adenoviruses and herpesviruses are extremely common and persistent infections in man. We have developed immunofluorescent procedures for detecting the presence of satellite virus antibodies in human sera. The percentage of sera with antibodies to the ASV 2-3 complex was significantly higher in the normal group than in the cancer patients whereas there were no significant differences in herpes antibodies between the groups. The low incidence of satellite antibodies was particularly striking in patients with genital malignancies. The role of ASV's in human disease is not known. Their role in possible abrogation of oncogenesis mediated through adenoviruses or herpesviruses is worthy of further investigation.

Comparative studies on functions of human adenovirus type 12 and its low oncogenic mutant virions

Physical and biological properties of highly oncogenic human adenovirus type 12 were compared with a low oncogenic mutant (cyt mutant). Parental and cyt mutant virions had very similar density and DNA size. However, the parental strain virion preparations contained a much higher proportion of defective virions (capable of cell killing, but not able to induce T- or V-antigen) than cyt mutant stock. It was also found that cyt mutant had a reduced virus yield in several human cell lines compared with the parental strain.

Temperature-sensitive mutants of adenovirus type 12 defective in viral DNA synthesis

Ten temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants of adenovirus type 12 which produce plaques at 31 but not at 38.5 C have been isolated after mutagenesis with nitrosoguanidine or nitrous acid. The mutants have been classified into six separate complementation groups. DNA-DNA hybridizations have shown that at 38.5 C the ts 401 and 406 mutants of groups B and E, respectively, synthesized less than 10% of the normal level of viral DNA. The two mutants were also defective in the production of late proteins at the nonpermissive temperature, as shown by fluorescent-antibody tests and analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfatepolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Genetic recombination between the ts viruses 401 and 406 has been demonstrated; the recombination frequency for the wild-type virus production was 17.7%. Both mutants induced an increase in thymidine kinase activity at 38.5 C. Moreover, the two viral DNA-defective mutants shut off host DNA synthesis at the restrictive temperature. It is striking that at 38.5 C ts virus 401 transformed two to eight times more hamster cells than the wild-type virus, whereas ts virus 406 transformed at a frequency similar to the wild-type virus.

Analysis of minimal functions of simian virus 40. II. Enhancement of oncogenic transformation in vitro by UV irradiation

After light UV irradiation (5,000 to 10,000 ergs/mm(2)) "complete" and "defective" simian virus 40 (SV40) showed an enhancement of oncogenic transformation capacity in Syrian hamster kidney cells in vitro up to 180 and 270% of the controls, respectively. Simultaneously with the enhancement of transformation, an increase in T-antigen induction was observed in CV-1 cells infected with light UV-irradiated SV40; infectivity, however, was correspondingly reduced by 1 log(10). After strong UV irradiation (10,000 to 80,000 ergs/mm(2)) of "complete" and "defective" SV40, transformation capacity in vitro proved to be the most resistant viral function. It was only slightly reduced in comparison with a 4 to 5 log(10) reduction of infectivity. T-antigen induction of SV40 was also equally resistant to strong UV irradiation. We found no evidence of "multiplicity reactivation" involved in the high resistance of transformation capacity of SV40 after UV irradiation. Syrian hamster kidney cells transformed in vitro by UV-irradiated SV40 contained the SV40-specific T-antigen and showed the same morphology and growth characteristics as cells transformed by non-irradiated "complete" or "defective" SV40. They induced malignant tumors after subcutaneous inoculation into Syrian hamsters.