DNA from bovine papillomavirus type 2 induces warts in a xenograft model.
Bovine papillomavirus (BPV) type 2 DNA was inoculated into calf scrotal skin before grafting onto severe combined immunodeficient mice. Inoculation with viral DNA isolated from a bovine wart induced fibropapillomas that exhibited all the morphological features of a BPV infection in cattle. The production of capsid protein and infectious BPV2 particles was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry and a transformed cell focus assay. In contrast, the injection of molecularly cloned viral genomic DNA led to the induction of papilloma-like lesions in the epidermis, but a fibroma was not formed. In addition, only early genes were expressed and infectious virus particles could not be detected. A restriction enzyme accessibility assay suggested that the methylation status of the molecularly cloned BPV2 DNA was different from that of native viral DNA. A possible correlation between methylation status and tumour phenotype is discussed.
Pawellek
A
A
BHC-PH-R-EU AI-II Virology, Bayer AG, P O Box 101709, 42096, Wuppertal, Germany.
Hewlett
G
G
Rosenbruch
M
M
Kreuter
J
J
Rübsamen-Waigmann
H
H
D000818:Animals; D052688:Bovine papillomavirus 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D002417:Cattle; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008745:Methylation; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D012867:Skin / Q000821:virology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D014860:Warts / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology
D004279:DNA, Viral