# MOLECULAR GENETICS OF LEUKEMIA VIRUSES

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA · 1989 · $152,905

## Abstract

The objective of the proposed studies of CWD/J mice is to characterize a
novel mechanism of retroviral oncogenesis, one that is mediated primarily
by the envelope genes of recombinant murine leukemia viruses (MuLV).  In
particular, they will clarify the role of host factors in regulating the
structure and function of the envelope gene sequences that facilitate
leukemogenesis by recombinant MuLVs.  The results will provide a better
understanding of retrovirus:  host interactions that are associated with
the development of malignant disease.

Viruses isolated from CWD/J mice will be analyzed in leukemia acceleration
assays to determine the relationship between recombinant MuLVs and the
development of spontaneous non-thymic lymphomas in these animals.  The
structure and the nucleic acid sequence of the env and U3 region of
molecular clones of the CWD proviruses will be compared with those of other
apathogenic and leukemogenic MuLVs in hopes of identifying regions of the
CWD viral genome that mediate pathogenicity.  To confirm the contribution
of specific regions of the viral genome to pathogenicity, the biologic
properties of natural CWD recombinant viruses and those derived from
chimeric proviruses constructed in vitro will be determined.

Host genes that may influence the susceptibility of CWD/J mice to the
development of non-thymic lymphomas will also be studied.  Analysis of the
immunophenotype of spontaneous and virus-induced CWD lymphomas will be
performed to see if host or viral genes regulate the phenotype of the
disease.  Northern blot and S1 nuclease experiments will be used to
identify RNAs of endogenous proviruses that are expressed in various CWD
tissues and may be the source of the envelope genes found in the CWD
recombinant viruses.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3170902
- **Project number:** 5R01CA032995-07
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
- **SAM.gov UEI:** JJG6HU8PA4S5
- **Principal Investigator:** CHRISTOPHER Y THOMAS
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1989
- **Award amount:** $152,905
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1982-07-01 → 1991-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3170902

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3170902, MOLECULAR GENETICS OF LEUKEMIA VIRUSES (5R01CA032995-07). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-24 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3170902. Licensed CC0.

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