Xenotropic virus expression and susceptibility to 3-methylcholanthrene-induced cancer.
This paper reports the lack of genetic linkage between spontaneous production of substantial amounts of infectious xenotropic (X-tropic) virus and the susceptibility to chemically induced cancers in two inbred strains of mice, NZB/BLNJ and 129/J, and their genetic crosses. The parental strains and F1, backcross, and F2 progeny between these two strains were partially splenectomized to ascertain X-tropic viral status and were subsequently treated s.c. with 500 microgram of 3-methylcholanthrene in trioctanoin. Progeny from second backcrosses [(F1 X 129) X 129] were also tested for their X-tropic viral status and susceptibility to 3-methylcholanthrene carcinogenesis. Mice were observed for evidence of fibrosarcomas at the site of inoculation over a 10-month period. In this genetic system, spontaneous production of high titers of X-tropic virus segregated as a single autosomal dominant gene. Susceptibility to 3-methylcholanthrene-induced fibrosarcomas did not segregate in these crosses, and susceptibility did not correlate with the degree of X-tropic virus expression.