Neural crest cells: temperature-dependent transformation by Rous sarcoma virus.

Area of Science:

• Developmental biology
• Virology
• Cell biology

Background:

• Cranial neural crest cells differentiate into pigmented cells in vitro.
• Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) is a retrovirus known to transform cells.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of RSV-BH-Ta infection on the differentiation of chick cranial neural crest cells.
• To determine if viral transformation affects cell differentiation at permissive and non-permissive temperatures.

Main Methods:

• Chick embryo cranial neural crest cells were cultured.
• Cells were infected with RSV-BH-Ta at different stages of differentiation (undifferentiated or pigmented).
• Infection was performed at permissive (37°C) and non-permissive (41°C) temperatures for viral transformation.

Main Results:

• Infected cells at 37°C showed rapid proliferation and cytoplasmic vacuolation, characteristic of RSV transformation.
• Infected cells at 41°C also proliferated rapidly but without morphological transformation.
• Infection prevented differentiation of undifferentiated cells and caused depigmentation of differentiated cells.
• Transformation was reversible upon temperature shift.

Conclusions:

• RSV-BH-Ta infection disrupts neural crest cell differentiation into pigment cells.
• The virus appears to regulate cell differentiation state even at non-permissive temperatures.
• Temperature-dependent regulation of viral transformation impacts cell differentiation pathways.