TY - JOUR
T1 - Cell type-specific expression of JC virus T antigen in primary and established cell lines from transgenic mice
AU - Beggs, A. H.
AU - Miner, J. H.
AU - Scangos, G. A.
PY - 1990
Y1 - 1990
N2 - The highly restricted host range of JC virus (JCV) has made it difficult to study the biology of this common human papovavirus. To increase our understanding of the tissue specificity of this virus, we have examined the expression of the T antigen (T-Ag) in primary and established cell lines from various tissues of transgenic mice containing the JCV early region. In contrast to earlier results from a simian virus 40-containing transgenic mouse, there was no T-Ag expression in mesenchymal fibroblasts derived from two lines of JCV-transgenic mice. Instead, we isolated T-Ag-positive (T-Ag+) cells that had characteristics consistent with a neural crest origin. Furthermore, primary brain cultures contained many T-Ag+ astrocytes, but no expression was detected in macrophages, epithelial cells, neuronal cells nor, surprisingly, in oligodendrocytes. Continued passage of these cultures resulted in vigorously growing glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive, T-Ag+ astrocytes. Thus, the strict tissue specificity of JCV expression was maintained, despite the fact that the viral genome pre-existed in every tissue of these transgenic mice and these contraints on expression were preserved even when cells were explanted in vitro.
AB - The highly restricted host range of JC virus (JCV) has made it difficult to study the biology of this common human papovavirus. To increase our understanding of the tissue specificity of this virus, we have examined the expression of the T antigen (T-Ag) in primary and established cell lines from various tissues of transgenic mice containing the JCV early region. In contrast to earlier results from a simian virus 40-containing transgenic mouse, there was no T-Ag expression in mesenchymal fibroblasts derived from two lines of JCV-transgenic mice. Instead, we isolated T-Ag-positive (T-Ag+) cells that had characteristics consistent with a neural crest origin. Furthermore, primary brain cultures contained many T-Ag+ astrocytes, but no expression was detected in macrophages, epithelial cells, neuronal cells nor, surprisingly, in oligodendrocytes. Continued passage of these cultures resulted in vigorously growing glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive, T-Ag+ astrocytes. Thus, the strict tissue specificity of JCV expression was maintained, despite the fact that the viral genome pre-existed in every tissue of these transgenic mice and these contraints on expression were preserved even when cells were explanted in vitro.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0025015118&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1099/0022-1317-71-1-151
DO - 10.1099/0022-1317-71-1-151
M3 - Article
C2 - 2154532
AN - SCOPUS:0025015118
SN - 0022-1317
VL - 71
SP - 151
EP - 164
JO - Journal of General Virology
JF - Journal of General Virology
IS - 1
ER -