[Absence of herpesvirus saimiri STPC oncogene in salivary gland tumors and epithelial thymus tumors].
OBJECTIVE
The oncoprotein STP-C-488 induces salivary gland and thymic epithelial tumours when expressed as a transgene in mice (MURPHY et al. 1994). Given the enigmatic tumorigenesis of corresponding tumours in humans, we now investigated genomic DNA and RNA from 11 thymomas, 5 pleomorphic adenomas and control autopsy material (n = 8) for the occurrence of the STP-C-488 sequences by Southern-blotting, Northern-blotting and PCR.


RESULTS
All tumor samples and control tissues were negative for the STP-C-488 in Southern-blot and Northern-blot-hybridization. PCR analyses did not reveal amplification products of the length expected for STP-C-488. However, a PCR fragment of a different size was found in 50% of the thymomas and pleomorphic adenomas, but in only one of 8 controls. The sequence of this PCR product revealed local homologies with various herpesviruses.


CONCLUSIONS
The oncoprotein STP-C-488 is not involved in the tumorigenesis of human thymomas and salivary gland tumours. Whether the novel sequences amplified preferentially from these tumours play a role in pathogenesis needs further investigation.
Gattenlöhner
S
S
Pathologisches Institut, Universität Würzburg.
Handwerker
G
G
Wilisch
A
A
Biesinger
B
B
Fleckenstein
B
B
Marx
A
A
Müller-Hermelink
H K
HK
D000818:Animals; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D006567:Herpesvirus 2, Saimiriine / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D015513:Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D009857:Oncogenes; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000821:virology
D015513:Oncogene Proteins; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; C072817:STP-C488 protein, Herpesvirus saimiri
Fehlen des Herpesvirus saimiri Onkogens STPC in Speicheldrüsen-tumoren und epithelialen Thymustumoren.