How infections with non-retroviral RNA viruses may be involved in the development of neoplasia

Riet, F.de St J.Van der; Renan, M.J.

doi:10.1054/mehy.1999.1025

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Volume 55, Issue 2 , Pages 109-113, August 2000

How infections with non-retroviral RNA viruses may be involved in the development of neoplasia☆

Department of Medical Microbiology, Medical School, University of Cape Town, Observatory, South Africa

Received 25 June 1999; accepted 18 October 1999.

Abstract

There have been reports of associations of infections with non-retroviral RNA viruses and tumour development. A hypothesis is proposed as to how non-retroviral RNA viruses may play a role in the development of neoplasia. It is based on a recent report of the detection of complementary DNA (cDNA) of the RNA virus lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus in mouse and hamster cells. This lends credence to the claim made in 1975 of the detection of cDNA copies of genomic DNA of three non-retroviral RNA viruses integrated into the DNA of host cells. Briefly, the hypothesis proposes that at least one cDNA fragment of a non-retroviral RNA virus is synthesized and integrated into the genome of the host cell in a way that could lead or contribute to tumour development. General approaches for testing the hypothesis are outlined.

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