Increased Expression of Endogenous Xenotropic Murine Retrovirus by Treatment with the Tetrapeptides, Tuftsin and Kentsin

• Published in: Journal of general virology Vol. 52; no. 1; pp. 189 - 194
• Main Authors: Suk, William A, Long, Cedric W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Soc General Microbiol 01.01.1981
• Subjects: Animals; Cell Line; Cell Transformation, Viral; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Immunoglobulin Fragments - pharmacology; Mice; Oligopeptides - pharmacology; Retroviridae - growth & development; RNA - biosynthesis; Tuftsin - pharmacology; Virus Activation - drug effects
• ISSN: 0022-1317; 1465-2099
• DOI: 10.1099/0022-1317-52-1-189

Biological Carcinogenesis Program Frederick Cancer Research Center, Frederick, Maryland 21701, U.S.A. Enhancement of endogenous xenotropic virus expression has been found upon treatment with tetrapeptides of a high-passage clone of Balb/c (K-Balb) mouse cells transformed with Kirsten sarcoma virus. Tuftsin (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg) and kentsin (Thr-Pro-Arg-Lys) increased the expression of virus that was infectious for rat, but not mouse, cells in a concentration-dependent fashion. The enhancement of virus expression by the tetrapeptides was proportional to the spontaneous release of virus. The infectivity of the enhanced virus was neutralized by goat anti-RLV gp70 serum. Actinomycin D inhibited the induction of virus, suggesting that enhanced expression required de novo RNA synthesis. The effects observed using K-Balb cells offer an opportunity to study the many biological effects of these peptides in a fibroblast culture system. Received 12 May 1980; accepted 6 August 1980.