Mouse mammary tumor virus: a virus that exploits the immune system

Leukemia. 1997 Apr:11 Suppl 3:183-6.

Abstract

Mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) causes mammary carcinomas and T-cell tumors in mice. MMTV variants that induce T-cell tumors have a large deletion within the U3 region of the long terminal repeat (LTR) compared to MMTV strains that induce mammary tumors. We provide evidence here that T-cell tropic MMTV strains lack a redundant binding site for a cellular protein called NBP (negative regulatory element binding protein). The lack of NBP-binding sites in T-cell tropic MMTV strains presumably leads to higher levels of transcription in T-cells during the MMTV life cycle and an increased incidence of mutagenic integration events.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Binding Sites
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Female
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell / immunology*
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell / virology*
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / immunology
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / virology
  • Mammary Tumor Virus, Mouse / genetics
  • Mammary Tumor Virus, Mouse / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
  • Recombinant Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid
  • Retroviridae Infections / immunology*
  • Sequence Deletion
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Transfection
  • Tumor Virus Infections / immunology*

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Son protein, mouse
  • Transcription Factors