Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Activation of endogenous C-type retroviral genomes by internal alpha-irradiation of mice with224Radium

  • Published:
Radiation and Environmental Biophysics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Sensitive cocultivation techniques were applied to study the radiation-induced activation of endogenous retroviral genomes in different mouse strains by the alpha-emitting radionuclide224Radium. Activated infectious C-type retroviruses were detected in spleen, bone marrow and bone tissues of C57BL/6-, BALB/c- and NMRI mice. The titres of high-dose-irradiated animals were higher than those found in low-dose-irradiated animals. Infectious retrovirus could be detected with a dose of 13.2 rad (maximum dose rate 0.9 rad/day) in the skeleton, and a dose of 4.2 rad (maximum dose rate 0.3 rad/day) in the spleen. The virus activation pattern was different in the three mouse strains. These data indicate that activation of endogenous retroviral genomes by alpha-irradiation shows a dose-effect relationship and a dependence on the genetic background of the mouse.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Aaronson SA, Todaro GJ, Scolnick EM (1971) Induction of murine C-type viruses from clonal lines of virus-free BALB/3T3 cells. Science 1974: 157–159

    Google Scholar 

  2. Aaronson SA, Stephenson JR (1976) Endogenous type C RNA viruses of mammalian cells. Biochem Biophys Acta 458: 323–354

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Chattopadhyay SK, Lander MR, Rands E, Lowy DR (1980) Structure of murine leukemia virus DNA in mouse genomes. Proc Natl. Acad Sci USA 77: 5774–5778

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Declève, A, Niwa O, Gelmann E, Kaplan HS (1976) Radiation activation of endogenous leukemia viruses in cell culture: acute X-ray irradiation. In: Yuhas JM, Gennant RW, Regan JD (eds) Biology of radiation carcinogenesis. Raven Press, New York, pp 217–225

    Google Scholar 

  5. Erfle V, Hehlmann R, Schetters H, Meier A, Luz A (1980) Time course of C-type retrovirus expression in mice submitted to osteosarcomagenic doses of224Radium. Int J Cancer 26: 107–113

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Erfle V, Hehlmann R, Schetters H, Schmidt J, Luz A (1981) Radiation-induced murine leukemias and endogenous retroviruses: The time course of viral expression. In: Neth R et al. (eds) Haematology and blood transfusion, vol 26. Modern trends in human leukemia IV. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg, pp 537–540

    Google Scholar 

  7. Haas M (1977) Transient virus expression during murine leukemia induction by X-irradiation. J Natl Cancer Inst 58: 251–257

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Haran-Ghera N, Peled A (1967) Isolation of a leukemogenic filterable agent from tissues of irradiated and normal C57BL/6 mice. Br J Cancer 21: 730–737

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Hayward MS, Neel BG, Astrin SM (1981) Activation of a cellular one gene by promoter insertion in ALV-induced lymphoid leukosis. Nature 290: 475–480

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Holmes HC, Tuffrey M, Wilson L, Barnes RD (1981) Absence of activated marine leukaemia virus in X-irradiated CBA/H-T6Cre mice. J Gen Virol 53: 377–381

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Kaplan HS (1977) Interaction between radiation and viruses in the induction of murine thymic lymphomas and lymphatic leukemias. In: Duplan JF (ed) Radiation-induced leukemogenesis and related viruses. North-Holland, Amsterdam New York Oxford, pp 1–18

  12. Lloyd EL, Gemmell EA, Henning CB, Gemmell DS, Zabransky BJ (1979) Transformation of mammalian cells by alpha-particles. Int J Radiat Biol 36: 467–468

    Google Scholar 

  13. McCubrey J, Risser R (1982) Genetic interactions in induction of endogenous murine leukemia virus from low leukemic mice. Cell 28: 881–888

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Müller WA (1971) Studies on short-lived internal alpha-emitters in mice and rats. Part I224Ra. Int J Radiat Biol 20: 27–38

    Google Scholar 

  15. Müller WA, Gössner W, Hug O, Luz A (1978) Late effects after incorporation of the short-lived alpha-emitters224Ra and227Th in mice. Health Phys 35: 33–55

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Niwa C, Sugahara T (1979) Radiation induction of endogenous type C virus from mouse cells transformed in vitro by murine sarcoma virus. J Natl Cancer Inst 62: 329–335

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Otten JA, Quarles JM, Tennant RW (1976) Activation of marine leukemia virus in cell culture by gamma irradiation. Virology 70: 80–87

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Schmidt J, Erfle V, Schetters H, Müller WA (1983) Low dose alpha irradiation: Response of mouse embryo fibroblast cells ”in vitro“. In: International symposium on the biological effects of low-level radiation with special regard to stochastic and non-stochastic effects. IAEA-SM/266, pp 169–171

  19. Temin HM (1980) Origin of retroviruses from cellular moveable genetic elements. Cell 21: 599–600

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Tennant RW, Rascati RJ (1980) Mechanisms of cocarcinogenesis involving endogenous retroviruses. In: Slaga TJ (ed) Carcinogenesis, vol 5. Modifiers of chemical carcinogenesis. Raven Press, New York, pp 185–205

    Google Scholar 

  21. Tennant RW, Otten JA, Myer FE, Rascati RJ (1982) Induction of retrovirus gene expression in mouse cells by some chemical mutagens. Cancer Res 42: 3050–3055

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Abteilung für Pathologie, Institut für Biologie, Gesellschaft für Strahlen- und Umweltforschung mbH, GSF, D-8042, Neuherberg, Germany

    J. Schmidt, V. Erfle & W. A. Müller

Authors
  1. J. Schmidt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. V. Erfle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. W. A. Müller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

In association with EURATOM Contract No. BIO-D-366-81-D

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schmidt, J., Erfle, V. & Müller, W.A. Activation of endogenous C-type retroviral genomes by internal alpha-irradiation of mice with224Radium. Radiat Environ Biophys 24, 17–25 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01212650

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01212650

Keywords

Search

Navigation