Polyomavirus large T-antigen expression in heart of transgenic mice causes cardiomyopathy

One of the early genes of polyomavirus, large T-antigen (PVLT), has been classified in vitro as an immortalizing gene. In order to determine the ability of PVLT to cause the formation of hyperplasia or tumors in vivo, we generated transgenic mice harboring the cDNA for PVLT linked to the heavy-metal responsive metallothionein-1 promoter (MT). The transgene was primarily expressed in testes and seminal vesicles, but expression was also detected in heart of a single transgenic line. The expression of the transgene in the heart of MT-PVLT line 8 mice was correlated with cardiomyopathy and atrial thrombus formation leading to premature death at approximately 160 days due to cardiac failure. The heart of affected animals was from 1.5 to 5.2 fold greater in weight and 2 fold greater in dimensions than normal nontransgenic mice. Affected hearts fell short of frank tumor phenotype and no macroscopic nor microscopic focal growth was found. Histologically the heart has a heterogenous cardiomyocyte population with markedly enlarged cells mixed with relatively normal cells. Both cell types express PVLT protein. The primary cell type affected is the cardiomyocyte however, as heart proportions are maintained, interstitial and non-myocyte cells must be affected either directly or indirectly. Expression of PVLT has upset normal strict control of cell growth in these hearts to result in a new model of congestive cardiomyopathy.