Detection of retroviruses in a calvaria of a young mouse

During systematic examination of the development and growth of mouse calvariae, virus particles were detected electron microscopically. Mice, strain NMRI, were obtained from the breeder Harlan-Winkelmann (Borchem, Germany) and mated in the animal house. The area of the sagittal suture from day-18 foetuses and from different stages until day-26 pp as well as from adult mice was studied. In the calvaria of a day-21 pp mouse, type-C virus particles were found in the pericellular space of many, but not all osteogenic cells. The morphology of all viruses found resembled that of retroviruses; they were regular in size, spherical and showed a diameter of 100-120 nm. Budding of viruses from the osteocyte membrane occurred frequently. Also type-A particles were detected intracisternally within the rough endoplasmic reticulum. Budding of type-C virus particles, extracellular deposition of retroviruses and intracisternal formation of type-A particles occurred in the same cell. However, although examinations of 22 different individual calvariae were done, only one obtained from a day-21 pp mice was virus-positive. Most probably, this observation is due to an endogenous virus production. Several mouse strains bear provirus DNA in their genome; the mode of activation of which is unknown. Reports in the literature are rare. Nevertheless, virus-infected material may influence experimental approaches and may be dangerous for the people who work with such material.