title: Human polyomavirus BK (BKV) transiently transforms and persistently infects cultured osteosarcoma cells.
abstract: Human polyomavirus BK (BKV) DNA and proteins have been detected in a number of bone tumours. We therefore investigated whether BKV infection might initiate transformation of human anchorage-dependent osteosarcoma cells in vitro. Infection of the osteosarcoma cell line U-2OS with a naturally occurring BKV strain resulted in soft agarose competent cell clones. In a subclone, designated U-2OS15E, approximately 10-20% of the cells contained episomal BKV genomes. A corresponding proportion of cells expressed BKV proteins and produced viral progeny. This proportion was not increased by BKV superinfection. Furthermore, U-2OS15E cells were resistant to SV40 infection. The transformed status of U-2OS15E cells lasted only for a few passages. However, the persistently infected cells produced infectious virions for more than 300 generations. In addition to representing a model system for persistent BKV infection, the uninfected and persistently BKV-infected cell cultures are useful tools for control and calibration of in situ BKV nucleic acid and protein detection methods.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Virology, University of Tromsø, N-9037, Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: Christine Hanssen
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Rinaldo
authors.forename: Marit Renée
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Myhre
authors.forename: Hilde
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alstad
authors.forename: Øivind
authors.initials: Ø
authors.lastname: Nilssen
authors.forename: Terje
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Traavik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001739:BK Virus / Q000502:physiology*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral