Five DNA tumor viruses undetectable in human retinoblastomas

E. Howard, D. Marcus, J. O'Brien, D. Albert, R. Bernards

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Retinoblastoma (RB) is a childhood eye cancer that arises when a retinal cell lacks a functional RB gene. Recent data indicate that the transforming proteins of adenovirus, papillomavirus, and the polyomaviruses BK and JC all can bind to the product of the RB gene. Furthermore, adenovirus 12, JC virus, and simian virus 40 are able to induce RB-like tumors in rodents. In view of these findings, 50 human RBs were tested for the presence of five human DNA tumor viruses: adenovirus 12, BK virus, JC virus, and human papillomaviruses 16 and 18. Using the polymerase chain reaction, no viral sequences were detected in 50 RB DNAs. These data provide no evidence that these viruses have an etiologic role in human RB.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1564-1567
Number of pages4
JournalInvestigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science
Volume33
Issue number5
StatePublished - 1992
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • DNA tumor virus
  • PCR
  • antioncogene
  • retinoblastoma

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ophthalmology
  • Sensory Systems
  • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

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