Skip to main content
Log in

The oncogenic potential of herpes simplex viruses: evidence for a ‘hit-and-run’ mechanism

  • Review Article
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

Experiments to determine the mechanism of transformation of herpes simplex virus (HSV) have identified fragments of viral DNA which are able to initiate transformation. No set of viral genes seems to be consistently retained or expressed in the transformed cells or in human cervical tumours, suggesting that viral DNA is not needed to maintain the transformed phenotype. In fact there is no conclusive evidence that initiation of neoplasia is mediated by a viral protein. Here we revisit the ‘hit-and-run’ hypothesis and its implications for HSV-induced tumorigenicity.

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

Access this article

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Naib, Z. M., Nahmias, A. J. & Josey, W. E. Cancer 19, 1026–1031 (1966).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Rawls, W. E., Tompkins, W. A. F. & Melnick, J. L. Am. J. Epidem. 89, 547–554 (1969).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Nahmias, A. F., Josey, W. E., Naib, Z. M., Luce, C. F. & Guest, B. Am. J. Epidem. 91, 547–552 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Adam, E., Kaufman, R. H., Melnick, J. L., Levy, A. H. & Rawls, W. E. Am. J. Epidem. 96, 427–442 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Aurelian, L. Cancer Res. 33, 1539–1547 (1973).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Hollingshead, A. & Tarro, G. Science 179, 698–700 (1973).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Dreesman, G. R., Burek, J., Adam, E., Kaufman, R. H. & Melnick, J. L. Nature 283, 591–593 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. McDougall, J. K. et al. in Viruses and Naturally Occurring Cancers (eds Essex, M., Todaro, G. & zur Hausen, H.) 101–116 (Cold Spring Harbor, New York, 1980).

    Google Scholar 

  9. McDougall, J. K., Galloway, D. A. & Fenoglio, C. M. Int. J. Cancer 25, 1–8 (1980).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Eglin, R. P. et al. Cancer Res. 41, 3597–3603 (1981).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Frenkel, N., Roizman, B., Cassai, E. & Nahmias, A. J. Proc. natn. Acad. sci. U.S.A. 69, 3780–3784 (1972).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Duff, R. & Rapp, F. Nature new Biol. 233, 48–50 (1971).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Duff, R. & Rapp, F. J. Virol. 12, 209–217 (1973).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  14. Skinner, G. Br. J. exp. Path. 57, 361–376 (1976).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Hampar, B. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. sci. U.S.A. 73, 646–650 (1976).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. zur Hausen, H. Adv. Cancer Res. 33, 77–107 (1980).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Collard, W., Thornton, H. & Green, M. Nature new Biol. 243, 264–266 (1973).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Copple, C. D. & McDougall, J. K. Int. J. Cancer 17, 501–510 (1976).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Frenkel, N., Locker, H., Cox, B., Roizman, B. & Rapp, F. J. Virol. 18, 885–893 (1976).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Galloway, D. A., Copple, C. D. & McDougall, J. K. Proc. natn. Acad. sci. U.S.A. 77, 880–884 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Park, M., Lonsdale, D. M., Timbury, M. C., Subak-Sharpe, J. H. & Macnab, J. C. M. Nature 285, 412–415 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Minson, A. C., Thouless, M. E., Eglin, R. P. & Darby, G. Int. J. Cancer 17, 493–500 (1976).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Reed, C. L., Gohen, G. H. & Rapp, F. J. Virol. 15, 668–670 (1975).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  24. Lewis, J. G., Kucera, L. S., Eberle, R. & Courtney, R. J. J. Virol. 42, 275–282 (1982).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  25. Camacho, A. & Spear, P. Cell 15, 993–1002 (1978).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Flannery, V. L., Courtney, R. J. & Schaffer, P. A. J. Virol. 21, 284–291 (1977).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. Rapp, F. & Westmoreland, D. Biochim. biophys. Acta 458, 167–173 (1976).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Jarriwalla, R. J., Aurelian, L. & Ts'o, P. O. P. Proc. natn. Acad. sci. U.S.A. 77, 2279–2283 (1980).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  29. Suh, M., Kessous, A., Poirier, N. & Simard, R. Virology 104, 303–311 (1980).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Reyes, G. R., LaFemina, R., Hayward, S. D. & Hayward, G. S. Cold Spring Harb. Symp. quant. Biol. 44, 629–641 (1979).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Galloway, D. A. & McDougall, J. K. J. Virol. 38, 749–760 (1981).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  32. Galloway, D. A., Goldstein, L. & Lewis, J. B. J. Virol. 42, 530–537 (1982).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  33. Suh, M. J. Virol. 41, 1095–1098 (1982).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  34. Fenoglio, C. M. et al. in Progress in Surgical Pathology Vol. 4 (eds Fenoglio, C. M. & Wolff, M.) 45–82 (Massen, New York, 1981).

    Google Scholar 

  35. zur Hausen, H., Schulte-Holthausen, H., Wolf, H., Dorries, K. & Egger, H. Int. J. Cancer 13, 650–656 (1974).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Pagano, J. S. J. infect. Dis. 132, 209–223 (1975).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Maitland, N. J. et al. J. gen. Virol. 55, 123–137 (1981).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. McDougall, J. K., Crum, C. P., Fenoglio, C. M., Goldstein, L. C. & Galloway, D. A. Proc. natn. Acad. sci. U.S.A. 79, 3853–3857 (1982).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Strnad, B. C. & Aurelian, L. Virology 73, 244–258 (1976).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Rawls, W. E., Gardner, H. L. & Kaufman, R. L. Am.J. Obstet. Gynec. 107, 710–716 (1970).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Tooze, J. (ed.) DNA Tumor Viruses (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, 1980).

  42. Weiss, R., Teich, N., Varmus, H. & Coffin, J. (eds) RNA Tumor Viruses (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, 1982).

  43. Payne, G. S. et al. Cell 23, 311–322 (1981).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Neel, B. J., Hayward, W. S., Robinson, H. L., Fang, J. & Astin, S. M. Cell 23, 323–334 (1981).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Duff, R. & Rapp, F. J. Virol. 15, 490–514 (1975).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  46. Boyd, A. L., Enquist, L., Vande Woude, G. F. & Hampar, B. Virology 103, 228–231 (1980).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Hampar, B. & Ellison, S. A. Proc. natn. Acad. sci. U.S.A. 49, 474–480 (1963).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Stich, H. F., Hsu, T. C. & Rapp, F. Virology 22, 439–446 (1964).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Waubke, R., zur Hausen, H. & Henle, W. J. Virol. 2, 1047–1054 (1968).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  50. O'Neill, F. J. & Rapp, F. Virology 44, 544–553 (1971).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Schlehofer, J. R. & zur Hausen, H. Virology 122, 471–475 (1982).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Lavi, S. Proc. natn. Acad. sci. U.S.A. 78, 6144–6148 (1981).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Galloway, D., McDougall, J. The oncogenic potential of herpes simplex viruses: evidence for a ‘hit-and-run’ mechanism. Nature 302, 21–24 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/302021a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/302021a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Navigation