Deletion mutations in the small t antigen gene alter the tissue specificity of tumors induced by simian virus 40.
Subcutaneous injection of wild-type simian virus 40 into Syrian hamsters normally induces fibrosarcomas at the injection site. We showed that subcutaneous injection of three different small t deletion mutants (dl884, dl883, and dl890) led to the formation of abdominal reticulum cell sarcomas (lymphomas) in about 15% of the animals bearing tumors. The remainder of the tumors were fibrosarcomas occurring with prolonged latencies at the site of injection. We postulated that, in the absence of an active small t protein, which is thought to have cell growth-promoting properties, the mutant virus preferentially transforms rapidly proliferating lymphoid cells.
D000818:Animals; D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming; D000957:Antigens, Viral, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D006224:Cricetinae; D005354:Fibrosarcoma / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005796:Genes; D005814:Genes, Viral; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008647:Mesocricetus; D009154:Mutation; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D013539:Simian virus 40 / Q000235:genetics*
D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming; D000957:Antigens, Viral, Tumor; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral