Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus is not detected in human lung adenocarcinomas expressing antigens related to the Gag polyprotein of betaretroviruses.
A proportion of human lung adenocarcinomas (hLACs) express an antigen related to the major capsid protein (CA) of Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV), a Betaretrovirus that causes a transmissible lung cancer in sheep. In this study, we have investigated whether JSRV or related betaretroviruses are expressed in hLACs. Results obtained indicate that JSRV is not associated with human lung adenocarcinomas. However, a proportion of hLACs reacted positively in immunohistochemistry with antibodies specific towards different domains of the JSRV Gag suggesting that a bona fide retrovirus antigen could be expressed in these tumours. Further studies will be necessary to ascertain whether the detection of antigens cross-reacting with betaretrovirus Gag antisera in some hLACs is due to expression of a human endogenous retrovirus or, more unlikely, of an uncharacterized exogenous retrovirus.
De Las Heras
Marcelo
M
Departmento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, C/Miguel Servet 177, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain. lasheras@unizar.es
Murcia
Pablo
P
Ortín
Aurora
A
Azúa
Javier
J
Borderías
Luis
L
Alvarez
Ramiro
R
Jiménez-Más
José Antonio
JA
Marchetti
Antonio
A
Palmarini
Massimo
M
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D022141:Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000821:virology; D008324:Mammary Tumor Virus, Mouse / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D010957:Plasmids; D012756:Sheep
D015683:Gene Products, gag