Different levels of v-Ha-ras p21 expression in primary keratinocytes transformed with Harvey sarcoma virus correlate with benign versus malignant behavior.
Primary mouse keratinocytes transformed with an activated ras oncogene transduced by helper-free Harvey sarcoma virus (HaSV) form predominantly benign tumors. In contrast, keratinocytes transformed with helper-associated HaSV form malignant tumors. We report here that this different tumorigenic behavior correlated with a much higher level of v-Ha-ras p21 protein in cells transformed with the helper-associated virus. The high level of v-ras expression in these cells was due to viral spread beyond the initial infection. The low level of v-ras p21 expression that resulted from single-hit infection with helper-free virus, together with the intrinsic heterogeneity of primary keratinocytes, explains, at least in part, the different tumorigenic behavior of keratinocytes transformed by the two types of viruses.
Brissette
J L
JL
Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
Missero
C
C
Yuspa
S H
SH
Dotto
G P
GP
D000818:Animals; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics*; D011905:Genes, ras / Q000235:genetics*; D006251:Harvey murine sarcoma virus / Q000502:physiology*; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / Q000235:genetics*; D012513:Sarcoma, Experimental / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology
D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)