Adenovirus oncogenicity

The first virus linked to tumor production was discovered in 1908 by Ellerman and Bang. Their finding was followed in 1911 by the better known discovery by Peyton Rous of a virus that produces sarcomas in chickens (now known as Rous sarcoma virus, or RSV). Later (1932) Shope showed that a papilloma virus produced cutaneous tumors in rabbits, and Lucke (1934) showed that adenoviruses produced renal adenocarcinoma in the frog. These and other discoveries made in the 1940s and 1950s indicated that exposure to certain viruses could result in tumor production. However, viral oncogenes had not yet been identified, and skeptics... 

However, Hyal-2 can function as an oncogene. Overexpression accelerates tumor formation.120 It is also a cell surface receptor for some retroviruses, the envelope protein of which mediates oncogenic transformation.121,122 Paradoxically, Hyal-2 under some conditions functions as a TSG product. Hyal-2 can accelerate apoptosis.123 Furthermore, an adenovirus-Hyal-2 vector suppresses growth of tumor xenografts in mice.124 Finally, Hyal-2-over-expressing clones of src-transformed fibroblasts have reduced rates of proliferation (B. Flamion, pers. commun.). Many of these apparent contradictions will become resolved, once the HA catabolic scheme is better understood. 

MODIFICATIONS OF THE METHOD Rat brain capillary endothelial cells have been immortalized by the entire E1A region of adenovirus 2 by Roux et al. (1994) which was used for a number of cell types without oncogenic transformation. Bovine umbilical vein endothelial cells have been immortalized by transfection with an expression vector containing... 

Gallimore, P.H., R.J.A. Grand, and P.J. Byrd, Transformation of human embryo retinoblasts with simian virus 40, adenovirus and ras oncogenes. Anticancer Res., 1986, 6, 499-567. 

Whyte, P., Buchkovich, K.J., Horowitz, J.M., Friend, S.H., Raybuck, M., Weinberg, R.A. and Harlow, E. (1988) Association between an oncogene and an anti-oncogene the adenovirus El A proteins bind to the retinoblastoma gene product. Nature 334 124-129. 

DNA viruses. Some DNA viruses also cause human cancer, but by different mechanisms. Three DNA tumor virus families, SV40, papillomavirus, and adenovirus, encode proteins that inactivate pRb and p53. By interfering with the Gl/S checkpoint, these oncoproteins increase the probability that mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes will be incorporated into the genome of infected cells, thereby increasing the probability of transformation. The Epstein-Barr virus encodes a Bcl-2 protein that restricts apoptosis of the infected cell. 

Reed CC, Gauldie J, lozzo RV. Suppression of tumorigenicity by adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of decorin. Oncogene 2002 21 3688-3695. 

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