Cultured cells transformed by Rous sarcoma virus: a genetically defined model and its phenotype

The mechanism by which Rous sarcoma virus transforms cells is better understood at the molecular level than that of any other oncogenic agent. The gene (src) responsible for transformation has been identified and its nucleotide sequence has been determined. The transforming protein (pp60src) has been identified and an enzymatic activity assigned to it. The unusual enzymatic activity of pp60src (phosphorylation of proteins on tyrosine) has allowed us to identify a large number of putative targets of this protein. And genetic evidence indicates that the phosphorylation of various targets is responsible for generating the various manifestations of the transformed phenotype. What can this model system contribute to understanding of hereditary large bowel cancer? First of all, it provides an intellectual paradigm for analyzing the mechanism by which a single autosomal dominant gene can alter the metabolism and regulatory behavior of a cell. A cellular homolog of src or of some other onc gene could be responsible for hereditary colon cancer. Second, it provides a model for understanding why some "markers" of malignancy are not invariably associated with cancer: since the oncogenic protein can interact with a variety of primary targets giving rise to the various parameters of transformation, not every sort of biological effect need be necessary for malignancy. Third, it points out that the various syndromes which constitute hereditary colon cancer may well be due to a single gene: since mutations in the src gene are capable of generating a variety of distinct phenotypic alterations in infected cells, different from that generated by the wild-type virus, it certainly is conceivable that different alleles of a single transforming gene could give rise to the different types of hereditary colon cancer. Whether this is the explanation for the various forms of hereditary colon cancer, or whether they result from the activities of several different onc genes can only be determined by identification of the gene(s) at the molecular level. Finally, this model system has provided information which may prove useful in improving the specificity of cancer chemotherapy. Since production of plasminogen activator seems to correlate well with growth in soft agar and tumorigenicity, an anti-cancer prodrug which is activated specifically by cells producing plasminogen activator might be selectively toxic to malignant cells. We have in fact synthesized such drugs and shown them to be selectively toxic in vitro to malignant cells (Carl et al 1980). In vivo tests of these agents are in progress.