Low tumorigenicity of canine cells transformed by the human cytomegalovirus

Dog embryo kidney cells transformed by the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) were obtained after non-permissive infection or transfection with viral DNA digested by restriction endonuclease EcoR I. The transformed cells, growing rapidly and showing an unlimited division potential, could use medium with only 2% serum for growth, contained nuclear virus antigens, and formed small colonies (less than 0.2 mm) in agarose. From 40 mice inoculated with transformed canine cells, only one eventually developed a tumor. Results indicate that dog cells are immortalized but not tumorigenically transformed by the human cytomegalovirus.