Abstract
Tumor-induced immunosuppression by murine retrovirus-induced tumors and nonviral murine and human tumors has been shown to be mediated by the transmembrane (TM) envelope (env) protein p15E. This in vitro activity is inhibitable by anti-(murine)p15E antibodies, implying that a TM-like protein is produced by such tumors. The leading candidate genes that might encode such proteins in human tumors are human endogenous retroviral (HERV) sequences. We have utilized immunohistochemistry to determine what tissues may express HERV env proteins. We subcloned a restriction fragment from the putative TM human env gene of a type C-related HERV (clone-4-1) into a fusion protein gene construct. Using a rabbit polyclonal antiserum against the fusion protein, we observed staining in a variety of human tumor and nontumor tissues.
MeSH terms
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Antibodies, Bacterial / isolation & purification
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Antibodies, Bacterial / metabolism
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Carrier Proteins / immunology
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Gammaretrovirus / chemistry
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Gammaretrovirus / genetics
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Gammaretrovirus / metabolism*
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Gene Products, env / biosynthesis*
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Gene Products, env / chemistry
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Humans
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Immunohistochemistry
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Immunosorbents
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Immunosuppressive Agents / chemistry
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Immunosuppressive Agents / metabolism*
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Keratinocytes / chemistry
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Maltose-Binding Proteins
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Membrane Proteins / biosynthesis
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Membrane Proteins / chemistry
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Neoplasm Proteins / biosynthesis*
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Neoplasm Proteins / chemistry
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Neurosecretory Systems / chemistry
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Neurosecretory Systems / cytology
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Palatine Tonsil / chemistry
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Palatine Tonsil / cytology
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Protein Structure, Tertiary
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Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
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Staining and Labeling
Substances
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Antibodies, Bacterial
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Carrier Proteins
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Gene Products, env
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Immunosorbents
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Immunosuppressive Agents
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Maltose-Binding Proteins
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Membrane Proteins
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Neoplasm Proteins