Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

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...
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...
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...
Cancer Prevention02:59

Cancer Prevention

Several factors can increase the risk of cancer in an individual. About 50% of cancer cases can be prevented by adopting a healthy lifestyle, regular exercise, eating healthy, and following a modest cancer prevention diet. Epidemiological studies have consistently shown that populations with vegetable and fruit-rich diets have reduced the incidence of cancer. On the other hand, populations who have a diet rich in animal fat, red meat, junk food, or high calories are predisposed to cancer.
Some...
Cancer Prevention02:59

Cancer Prevention

Several factors can increase the risk of cancer in an individual. About 50% of cancer cases can be prevented by adopting a healthy lifestyle, regular exercise, eating healthy, and following a modest cancer prevention diet. Epidemiological studies have consistently shown that populations with vegetable and fruit-rich diets have reduced the incidence of cancer. On the other hand, populations who have a diet rich in animal fat, red meat, junk food, or high calories are predisposed to cancer.
Some...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The viral origins of breast cancer.

Infectious agents and cancer·2024
Same author

Human papilloma virus and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

European heart journal·2024
Same author

The rise and fall of tobacco smoking and associated rise and fall of coronary atherosclerosis the lethal role of tobacco.

Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine·2023
Same author

Multiple pathogens and prostate cancer.

Infectious agents and cancer·2022
Same author

Mouse Mammary Tumour Virus (MMTV) in Human Breast Cancer-The Value of Bradford Hill Criteria.

Viruses·2022
Same author

Infection and food combine to cause atherosclerotic coronary heart disease - Review and hypothesis.

International journal of cardiology. Heart & vasculature·2021

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Initiation of Metastatic Breast Carcinoma by Targeting of the Ductal Epithelium with Adenovirus-Cre: A Novel Transgenic Mouse Model of Breast Cancer
07:13

Initiation of Metastatic Breast Carcinoma by Targeting of the Ductal Epithelium with Adenovirus-Cre: A Novel Transgenic Mouse Model of Breast Cancer

Published on: March 26, 2014

Do viruses cause breast cancer?

James S Lawson1

  • 1School of Public Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|December 26, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) and human papillomaviruses (HPVs) may initiate breast cancer. Diet and hormones influence viral replication and cancer growth, explaining international breast cancer incidence disparities.

More Related Videos

Modeling Breast Cancer via an Intraductal Injection of Cre-expressing Adenovirus into the Mouse Mammary Gland
06:29

Modeling Breast Cancer via an Intraductal Injection of Cre-expressing Adenovirus into the Mouse Mammary Gland

Published on: June 7, 2019

Orthotopic Transplantation of Breast Tumors as Preclinical Models for Breast Cancer
07:45

Orthotopic Transplantation of Breast Tumors as Preclinical Models for Breast Cancer

Published on: May 18, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Initiation of Metastatic Breast Carcinoma by Targeting of the Ductal Epithelium with Adenovirus-Cre: A Novel Transgenic Mouse Model of Breast Cancer
07:13

Initiation of Metastatic Breast Carcinoma by Targeting of the Ductal Epithelium with Adenovirus-Cre: A Novel Transgenic Mouse Model of Breast Cancer

Published on: March 26, 2014

Modeling Breast Cancer via an Intraductal Injection of Cre-expressing Adenovirus into the Mouse Mammary Gland
06:29

Modeling Breast Cancer via an Intraductal Injection of Cre-expressing Adenovirus into the Mouse Mammary Gland

Published on: June 7, 2019

Orthotopic Transplantation of Breast Tumors as Preclinical Models for Breast Cancer
07:45

Orthotopic Transplantation of Breast Tumors as Preclinical Models for Breast Cancer

Published on: May 18, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Virology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) is a known cause of breast cancer in mice.
  • MMTV-like genetic material and other viruses (e.g., high-risk HPVs) are found in human breast tumors, but causality remains unproven.
  • Significant international disparities in breast cancer incidence and mortality exist, particularly between Asian and Western populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose a hypothesis explaining the role of oncogenic viruses in human breast cancer.
  • To reconcile viral presence in tumors with epidemiological data on breast cancer risk.
  • To investigate the influence of diet and hormones on viral oncogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Review and synthesis of existing epidemiological and virological data.
  • Hypothesis formulation integrating viral, hormonal, and dietary factors.
  • Analysis of migration patterns and associated changes in breast cancer risk.

Main Results:

  • Oncogenic viruses like MMTV and HPVs may initiate some human breast cancers.
  • Dietary patterns influence sex hormone levels, which in turn promote replication of hormone-dependent viruses.
  • Hormones and diet also promote the growth of both normal and malignant cells.

Conclusions:

  • Dietary changes in migrants lead to increased hormone levels, promoting viral replication and initiating breast oncogenesis.
  • This model explains the rapid increase in breast cancer risk observed in migrant populations.
  • The interplay of diet, hormones, and oncogenic viruses offers a plausible explanation for human breast cancer etiology and epidemiology.