Chemical-viral co-carcinogenesis: requirement for leukemia virus expression in accelerated transformation

The essential role of Rauscher leukemia virus (RLV) multiplication in viral-chemical co-carcinogenesis was investigated by the use of ethidium bromide (EtBr) as an inhibitor of viral complementary DNA (cDNA) integration in the host genome. EtBr inhibited co-carcinogenic transformation when present at the time of RLV inoculation but was ineffective when added to preinfected cells. Inhibitors of protein synthesis, puromycin and cyclohexamide also inhibited co-carcinogenic transformation of chronically infected cells. Purified rat interferon used at a concentration which inhibited 85% of RLV production did not modify the course of co-carcinogenic transformation. The implications of these observations in terms of the possible role of the virus-specific protein (s) in the co-carcinogenic process are discussed.