High incidence of ependymomas induced by BK virus, a human papovavirus: brief communication

J Natl Cancer Inst. 1977 Nov;59(5):1561-4. doi: 10.1093/jnci/59.5.1561.

Abstract

Ependymomas were produced in 44 of 50 Syrian golden hamsters and in 9 of 31 outbred Swiss mice inoculated intracerebrally with high-titer, purified BK virus (BKV). Tumors contained a T-antigen that reacted with BKV-specific T-antibody in immunofluorescence and complement-fixation tests. A proportion of tumor-bearing animals had antibodies to BKV T-antigen in their sera. BKV could be rescued from two tumor cell lines by Sendal virus-mediated fusion with Vero cells. A low, or lack of, oncogenic activity was displayed by BKV inoculated sc, ip, or iv.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Antigens, Viral
  • BK Virus / immunology
  • Brain Neoplasms / etiology*
  • Brain Neoplasms / immunology
  • Cricetinae
  • Ependymoma / etiology*
  • Ependymoma / immunology
  • Hybrid Cells / immunology
  • Mesocricetus
  • Mice
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / etiology
  • Sarcoma, Experimental / etiology
  • Sarcoma, Experimental / immunology
  • Tumor Virus Infections / etiology*

Substances

  • Antigens, Viral