Summary
Quantitative determinations of gp52, the main envelope glycoprotein, and p28, the main core protein, of MMTV, have been performed in about 1000 individual samples of milk of breeding females from our colony of MMTV-infected Swiss mice, a line characterized by a moderate incidence of mammary tumors. A computer analysis of the results showed: 1— an important individual variation, ranging from 0 to 120µg per ml of milk for p28, and from 0 to 320 µg per ml of milk for gp52; 2— a variation of the release of both antigens during a single lactation, with a maximum on the 7–8th day of nursing; 3— an increase of the release of both antigens with parity up to the 6th lactation, followed by a marked decrease during later lactations; 4— a higher degree of infection in the offspring of 2nd and 3rd litters. The possible dependence of viral expression and transmission of infection upon factors such as cyclic activity of the mammary gland and progressive immunization of mice against MMTV is analyzed. The status of our laboratory line of MMTV infected Swiss mice is discussed in comparison with high and low tumor incidence strains.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Altrock, B. W., Cardiff, R. D.: Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus infections: viral expression and tumor risk. J. Natl. Canc. Inst.63, 1075–1080 (1979).
Altrock, B. W., Cardiff, R. D., Blair, P. B.: Murine Mammary Tumor Virus seroepidemiology in BALB/cfC3H mice: correlation with tumor development. J. Natl. Canc. Inst.67, 163–168 (1981).
Bentvelzen, P., Hilgers, J.: Murine Mammary Tumor Virus. In:Klein, G. (ed.), Viral oncology, 311–355. New York: Raven Press 1980.
Bistocchi, M., Nuti, M., Squartini, F.: Quantitative comparison of milk-released C3H and RIII Mammary Tumor Viruses in infected BALB/c host. Tumori63, 535–542 (1977).
Calberg-Bacq, C. M., Francois, C., Gosselin, L., Osterrieth, P. M., Rentier-Delrue, F.: Comparative study of the Milk Fat Globule Membrane and the Mouse Mammary Tumour Virus prepared from the milk of an infected strain of Swiss Albino Mice. biochim. Biophys. Acta419, 458–478 (1976).
Calberg-Bacq, C. M., Francois, C., Osterrieth, P. M., Teramoto, Y. A.: Immunological characterisation of a Mammary Tumor Virus from Swiss mice: multiple epitopes associated with the viral gene products. J. gen. Virol.57, 75–83 (1981).
Hageman, P. C., Calafat, J., Hilgers, J.: The biology of the mouse mammary tumor virus. In:Hilgers, J., Sluyser, M. (eds.), Mammary tumors in the mouse, 391–463. Elsevier/North-Holland: Biomedical Press 1981.
Hainaut, P., Francois, C., Calberg-Bacq, C. M., Vaira, D., Osterrieth, P. M.: Peroral infection of suckling mice with milk-borne Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus: uptake of the main viral antigens by the gut. J. gen. Virol.64, 2535–2548 (1983).
Hendrick, J. C., Osterrieth, P. M., Kozma, S., Francois, C.: A computer program for analysing and calculating the results of ELISA tests for MMTV antigens and antibodies. 13th Meeting of the European Tumor Virus Group, May 10–13, Ronne, Denmark, Abstract no 5.12 (1981).
Heston, W. E., Parks, W. P.: Mammary tumors and Mammary Tumor Virus expression in hybrid mice of strains C57 Bl and GR. J. Exp. Med.146, 1206–1220 (1977).
Hilgers, J.: Viruses and incidence of mammary tumors: mice. In:Altmann, P. L., Dittmer Katz, D. (eds.), Imbred and genetically defined strains of laboratory animals, part 1: mouse and rat, Biological Handbooks III. Bethesda, Md., U.S.A.: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology 1979.
McKenzie, L., Fitzgerald, D. K., Ebner, K. E.: Lactose synthetase activities in rat and mouse mammary glands. Biochim. Biophys. Acta230, 526–530 (1971).
Kozma, S., Calberg-Bacq, C. M., Francois, C., Osterrieth, P. M.: Detection of virus antigens in Swiss albino mice infected by milk-borne Mouse Mammary Tumour Virus: the effect of age, sex, and reproductive status. I: localization by immunofluorescence of four antigens in mammary tissues and other organs. J. gen. Virol.45, 27–40 (1979).
Moore, D. H., Long, C. A., Vaidya, A. B., Sheffield, J. B., Dion, A. S., Lasfargues, E. Y.: Mammary Tumor Viruses. Adv. Canc. Res.29, 347–418 (1979).
Morris, I. G.: Gamma globulin absorption in the newborn. In:Code, C. F. (ed.), Handbook of Physiology, Alimentary Canal III, 1491–1512. Washington; American Physiological Society 1968.
Osterrieth, P. M., Kozma, S., Hendrick, J. C., Francois, C., Calberg-Bacq, C. M., Franchimont, P., Gosselin, L.: Detection of virus antigens in Swiss albino mice infected by milk-borne Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus: the effect of age, sex, and reproductive status. II: radioimmunoassays for two virus components, gp 47 and p 28, in serum and organ extracts. J. gen. Virol.45, 41–50 (1979).
Rodewald, R.: Intestinal absorption of antibodies in the newborn rat. J. Cell Biol.58, 189–211 (1979).
Verstraeten, A. A., van Nie, R., Kwa, H. G., Hageman, P. C.: Quantitative estimation of mouse mammary tumor virus (MTV) antigens by radioimmunoassay. Int. J. Cancer15, 270–281 (1975).
Zotter, S., Kemmer, C., Muller, M.: Mammary Tumor Virus, investigations in mouse and man (Experimental Pathology, Suppl. 6). Jena: VEB Gustav Fischer, Elsevier/North-Holland 1981.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
With 4 Figures
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hainaut, P., Vaira, D., Francois, C. et al. Natural infection of swiss mice with Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus (MMTV): Viral expression in milk and transmission of infection. Archives of Virology 83, 195–206 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01309916
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01309916