Abstract
THE widespread distribution of endogenous type C viral genetic sequences in many different vertebrate species1,2 is now well established. The biologic implications of the presence of such endogenous type C viral genomes, especially with respect to normal and neoplastic growth, are at present of considerable interest3. The domestic cat (Felis catus) offers a unique model system for approaching this question, because of its ready availability, outbred nature and relatively short lifespan. Moreover, the genetic information of its endogenous xenotropic virus (RD-114) is distinct4 from that of feline leukaemia virus (FeLV), a horizontally transmitted, infectious type-C virus of this species. RD-114 virus5 is generally non-infectious for cat cells6 and its pathogenicity is undetermined, whereas FeLV is known to be leukaemogenic under natural7 and experimental8 circumstances. The genetic information of RD-114 has been demonstrated in the DNA of domestic cats9–11 and their close relatives, but not in more distantly related species of the genus Felis12. Both transcriptional13 and translational14 products of the endogenous RD-114 viral genome are also found in certain instances in the absence of complete virus in normal cat tissues. FeLV and RD-114 gene expression at the transcriptional and translational levels in domestic cats has been examined here in relation to naturally occurring lymphoma. Results indicate a significantly higher level of RD-114 transcription and translation in most lymphoma tissues compared with normal tissues. Although FeLV expression is also pronounced in lymphomas, this generally reflects the presence of infectious FeLV. In general, however, only the lymphomas from the younger cats show significant levels of FeLV gene expression, whereas RD-114 expression is high in lymphomas of both young and old cats. Although the relationship of this enhanced expression of the RD-114 genes to the neoplastic process is unknown, these findings indicate that certain functions of the endogenous RD-114 viral genome are closely associated with the development of lymphoid tumours in the cat.
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NIMAN, H., STEPHENSON, J., GARDNER, M. et al. RD-114 and feline leukaemia virus genome expression in natural lymphomas of domestic cats. Nature 266, 357–360 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/266357a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/266357a0
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