Transformation of Mouse Embryo Cells by Vaccinia Virus 1

SUMMARY-The carrier state of mouse embryo cells was achieved by infecting these cells with low doses of vaccinia virus. In about 40 % of the cultures, the cells underwent morphologic transformation. Morphologic examination and autoradiography revealed continuous presence of vaccinia virus in the transformed cells. Complement-nxation tests, with the use of anti-vaccinia-immune serum, indicated vaccinia structural proteins in fhe cells. The transformed mouse-embryo cells were more resistant to super-infection than the untransformed cells. In later passages, the content of vaccinia antigens diminished; at the same time, the tumorigenicity of the cells increased.-J Nat Cancer Inst 46: 225-241, 1971. SELF-LIMITING neoplasia can be induced by infection with poxviruses, such as rabbit (1), hare (2), and squirrel fibroma viruses (3), myxoma virus of Sanarelli (4), Yaba virus (5), and mollus-cum contagiosum virus (6). The malignant trans