title: Tumorigenic poxviruses: growth factors in a viral context?
abstract: Shope fibroma virus (SFV) is one of the few poxviruses that induce cutaneous tumours, whereas myxoma virus, a closely related leporipoxvirus, does not. However, both have a virally encoded homologue of the epidermal growth factor (namely SFGF and MGF, respectively) that is considered to be crucial for poxvirus tumorigenesis. In this study, the role of viral growth factors in the context of infection with SFV, a tumorigenic leporipoxvirus, was investigated. An SFV mutant was engineered with the sfgf gene deleted and replaced with mgf. Macroscopic, histological and cytological examinations led to the conclusion that growth factors are indeed important for the development and maintenance of fibromas, provided that they are expressed in the proper viral context. However, they are not exchangeable and MGF cannot substitute for SFGF in the genesis of fibromas. It is likely that factors other than viral epidermal growth factor homologues influence the development of tumours.
authors.affiliation: UMR1225 IHAP - ENVT, 23 chemin des Capelles, BP 87614, 31076 Toulouse CEDEX, France.
authors.forename: Frédérique
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sabourdy
authors.affiliation: UMR1225 IHAP - ENVT, 23 chemin des Capelles, BP 87614, 31076 Toulouse CEDEX, France.
authors.forename: Antoine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Casteignau
authors.affiliation: UMR1225 IHAP - ENVT, 23 chemin des Capelles, BP 87614, 31076 Toulouse CEDEX, France.
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gelfi
authors.affiliation: UMR1225 IHAP - ENVT, 23 chemin des Capelles, BP 87614, 31076 Toulouse CEDEX, France.
authors.forename: Séverine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deceroi
authors.affiliation: UMR1225 IHAP - ENVT, 23 chemin des Capelles, BP 87614, 31076 Toulouse CEDEX, France.
authors.forename: Maxence
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Delverdier
authors.affiliation: UMR1225 IHAP - ENVT, 23 chemin des Capelles, BP 87614, 31076 Toulouse CEDEX, France.
authors.forename: Frédérique L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Messud-Petit
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D012776:Fibroma Virus, Rabbit / Q000502:physiology*; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000502:physiology; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D011213:Poxviridae Infections / Q000473:pathology; D011817:Rabbits; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000502:physiology*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D006133:Growth Substances; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C056692:Shope fibroma virus growth factor; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha; C068110:myxoma virus growth factor