title: DNA of mouse mammary tumor virus-like virus is present in human tumors influenced by hormones.
abstract: Mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) is a hormonally regulated, oncogenic virus of mice. MMTV-like virus DNA has previously been detected in human breast cancers, liver disease, and liver cancers. It is hypothesized that local hormonal effects might be of primary importance in determining MMTV-like virus detection in human tumors. MMTV-like virus envelope (env) DNA was determined using nested PCR in 89 ovarian, 147 prostate, 50 endometrial, 141 skin, and 51 lung cancers. Viral-positive sequences were compared with published MMTV-like viral sequences from human breast cancer, liver cancer and MMTV. Immunohistochemistry for estrogen receptor (ER-alpha) and progesterone receptor (PgR) was performed on a subset of tumors. MMTV-like virus env DNA was detected in ovarian cancers (14/89; 16%), prostate cancers (53/147; 36%), endometrial cancers (5/50; 10%), skin cancers (13/141; 9%) but not in lung cancers (0/51). Phylogenetic analysis of the viral-positive sequences showed no clustering of the isolates according to tissue type. A significant association was observed between the presence of hormone receptors and detection of MMTV-like virus in the human cancers screened (P = 0.01). A significant association between MMTV-like virus and PgR was noted in skin cancers (P = 0.003). Therefore, unlike the mouse model, the detection of MMTV-like env sequences in human cancers in addition to breast indicates that MMTV-like viral expression is not breast cancer-specific and may relate to hormone-dependent viral expression.
authors.affiliation: Virology Division, SEALS Microbiology, The Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Harpreet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Johal
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Faedo
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Faltas
authors.forename: Amie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Railya
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mousina
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cozzi
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Defazio
authors.forename: William D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Rawlinson
mesh_terms: D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008324:Mammary Tumor Virus, Mouse / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D006728:Hormones; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins