Mouse mammary tumour virus-like virus (MMTV-LV) is present within the liver in a wide range of hepatic disorders and unrelated to nuclear p53 expression or hepatocarcinogenesis.
OBJECTIVE
The human equivalent of mouse mammary tumour virus (MMTV-LV) may have a role in the pathogenesis of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and breast carcinogenesis. We investigated MMTV-LV prevalence in patients with liver disease of diverse aetiology and associations with hepatic expression of hormonal receptors, p53 protein and complicating hepatocarcinogenesis.


METHODS
Nested PCR for MMTV-LV envelope was performed using tissue from 210 patients with liver disease and 20 patients with histologically normal liver. Hepatic expression of estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-alpha), progesterone receptor (PgR) and p53 protein was determined by immunohistochemistry. MMTV-LV expression was also determined in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissue from 21 patients, in 11 of whom paired non-tumourous liver tissue was available for comparison.


RESULTS
MMTV-LV envelope sequences were present in 25% (53/210) of liver disease biopsies but not in histologically normal liver (0/20) (P=0.02). There was no association between MMTV-LV presence and hepatic expression of ER-alpha or p53 protein. No liver sections were PgR positive. MMTV-LV prevalence was not significantly different in HCC tissue, paired non-tumourous chronic liver disease tissue from the same patients and liver disease tissue from patients without complicating HCC.


CONCLUSIONS
Hepatic expression of MMTV-LV is evident in a wide range of non-cirrhotic and cirrhotic liver diseases, irrespective of ER-alpha, PgR or p53 status, and unrelated to complicating HCC.
Johal
Harpreet
H
Virology Division, Department of Microbiology, South Eastern Area Health Services (SEALS), Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW, Australia.
Scott
Gillian Marie
GM
Jones
Robert
R
Camaris
Catherine
C
Riordan
Stephen
S
Rawlinson
William D
WD
D000818:Animals; D001656:Biliary Atresia / Q000821:virology; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000821:virology; D006527:Hepatolenticular Degeneration / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000821:virology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000821:virology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000821:virology; D008324:Mammary Tumor Virus, Mouse / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D051379:Mice; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics
D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins