Mouse mammary tumor virus-like ENV gene sequences in human breast tumors and in a lymphoma of a breast cancer patient.
DNA sequences with very high similarity (95-98%) to the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) ENV gene have been amplified by PCR in 38.5% of human breast tumors and in <2% of normal breast tissue (Wang et al., Cancer Res., 55: 5173-5179, 1995). Intrigued by these findings, which suggested an exogenous viral etiology for a certain percentage of human breast tumors, we have screened a panel of human breast tumors and normal breast tissue for the presence of MMTV-like DNA sequences. Using similar PCR procedures and stringent hybridization techniques, we have detected the presence of MMTV-like ENV gene sequences in 37% of the human breast tumors that we have analyzed. DNA sequencing has shown these sequences to be 99% homologous to the BR6 strain of MMTV and 100% homologous to the GR and C3H strains of MMTV. We have not detected these MMTV-like sequences in normal breast tissue. However, we have detected these sequences by PCR and stringent hybridization in a T-cell lymphoma of a breast cancer patient who was simultaneously diagnosed with both diseases. Our results support the possibility of an exogenous retroviral etiology for a certain percentage of human breast tumors. Our results also suggest that a similar exogenous retroviral etiology may exist for certain human T-cell lymphomas. In many inbred strains of mice, both breast cancer and T-cell lymphoma are caused by MMTV, hence, in a certain percentage of humans, one or both of these diseases may be caused by an MMTV-like retroviral entity.
Etkind
P
P
Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center-Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York Medical College, Bronx 10466-4002, USA.
Du
J
J
Khan
A
A
Pillitteri
J
J
Wiernik
P H
PH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015752:Genes, env / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000821:virology*; D008324:Mammary Tumor Virus, Mouse / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D004279:DNA, Viral