Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 13, 2026

An Oncogenic Hepatocyte-Induced Orthotopic Mouse Model of Hepatocellular Cancer Arising in the Setting of Hepatic Inflammation and Fibrosis
00:06

An Oncogenic Hepatocyte-Induced Orthotopic Mouse Model of Hepatocellular Cancer Arising in the Setting of Hepatic Inflammation and Fibrosis

Published on: September 12, 2019

Human mesothelial cells are unusually susceptible to simian virus 40-mediated transformation and asbestos

M Bocchetta1, I Di Resta, A Powers

  • 1Cancer Immunology Program, Department of Pathology, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|August 24, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Simian virus 40 (SV40) uniformly infects human mesothelial cells, promoting high-rate cell transformation. Asbestos exposure complements SV40 mutants, suggesting they are cocarcinogens in mesothelioma development.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Virology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Mesothelioma is a malignancy linked to asbestos exposure.
  • Simian virus 40 (SV40) has been recently associated with mesothelioma.
  • The interaction between SV40 and human mesothelial cells is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the infection mechanism of SV40 in human mesothelial cells.
  • To explore the role of asbestos in SV40-mediated mesothelial cell transformation.
  • To elucidate the potential cocarcinogenic role of SV40 and asbestos in mesothelioma.

Main Methods:

  • Infection of human mesothelial cells with SV40.
  • Analysis of cell lysis and transformation rates.
  • Assessment of SV40 mutant complementation by asbestos exposure.

Main Results:

  • SV40 uniformly infects human mesothelial cells without lysis.
  • Mesothelial cells undergo high-rate transformation following SV40 infection, involving p53.
  • Asbestos exposure complements SV40 mutants, enhancing transformation.

Conclusions:

  • SV40 preferentially transforms mesothelial cells through a unique infection mechanism.
  • Asbestos and SV40 act as cocarcinogens, contributing to mesothelioma development.
  • These findings offer a mechanistic explanation for SV40's role in asbestos-related cancers.

More Related Videos

Orthotopic Implantation and Peripheral Immune Cell Monitoring in the II-45 Syngeneic Rat Mesothelioma Model09:31

Orthotopic Implantation and Peripheral Immune Cell Monitoring in the II-45 Syngeneic Rat Mesothelioma Model

Published on: October 2, 2015

Generation and Expansion of Primary, Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Tumor Lines08:01

Generation and Expansion of Primary, Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Tumor Lines

Published on: April 21, 2022

Related Concept Videos

Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers01:51

Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers

Retroviruses are RNA viruses that have been shown to cause cancers in diverse species, including chickens, mice, cats, and monkeys. The RNA genomes of these viruses are first reverse-transcribed into single and then double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) copies. This dsDNA called proviral DNA then integrates into the host genome. Subsequently, the host cell transcribes the proviral DNA in concert with the chromosomal DNA. This leads to the production of viral RNA and proteins that assemble at the host...
Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer01:03

Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer

Rous Sarcoma virus or RSV was discovered by F. Peyton Rous in the year 1911 as a filterable transmissible agent that could cause tumors in chickens. He won a Nobel Prize for this discovery in 1966. His experiments clearly demonstrated that some cancers could be caused by infectious agents and led to the discovery of many more cancer-causing viruses in animals as well as humans.
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand  RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
Mesenchymal Stem Cells01:19

Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are adult stem cells that can differentiate into most connective tissue cell types, except for hematopoietic cells, depending upon the source of MSCs. For example, bone-marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) can differentiate into osteocytes, hepatocytes, and pancreatic and neuronal cells. MSCs can be isolated from various sources such as bone marrow, placenta, adipose tissue, teeth, and Wharton’s jelly, a gelatinous substance in the umbilical cord. The ease of their access...
Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity01:25

Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity

Mutagenicity and carcinogenicity refer to the ability of drugs to cause genetic defects and induce cancer, respectively. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies agents into four groups based on their carcinogenic potential. Group 1 agents are known human carcinogens; group 2A agents are probably carcinogenic to humans; group 3 agents lack data to support their role in carcinogenesis; and group 4 includes agents for which data support that they are not likely to be...