Quantitative Dose-Response Relationships of Murine Sarcoma Virus (Moloney) in BALB/c Mice

• Published in: JNCI : Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1969-01, Vol.42 (1), p.123-133
• Main Authors: Blumenschein, George R., Moloney, John B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Newborn; Mice; Moloney murine leukemia virus; Neoplasm Regression, Spontaneous; Organ Size; Rhabdomyosarcoma - etiology; Rhabdomyosarcoma - pathology; Sarcoma, Experimental - etiology; Sarcoma, Experimental - pathology; Spleen - pathology
• ISSN: 0027-8874; 1460-2105; 1460-2105
• DOI: 10.1093/jnci/42.1.123

The quantitative dose-response relationships of a standard lot of Moloney sarcoma virus were investigated in BALB/c mice. Repeated assay of 10−1–10−5 dilutions of the virus material showed a reproducible dose-related development of rhabdomyosarcoma at the site of inoculation in newborn and weanling mice. Time from inoculation to appearance of tumor was a reliable indicator of virus-initiating dose. The induced tumors grew and regressed in a predictable fashion in weanling mice. The data on virus recovery from tumor at points in the growth and regression phases showed a growth curve for the agent with a 3-day latent period, followed by a 5-day log growth phase. As tumor regressed, the virus content decreased. At 21 days after infection, a high percentage of the weanling mice had developed sarcomas and were in a phase of complete tumor regression. The quantity of virus recoverable from tumor induced by a given inoculum was directly related to tumor size. Similarly, virus content of a tumor depended on the dose of the virus inoculum. Spleens from infected animals showed a bimodal spleen-weight per body-weight curve with peaks at 12 and 28 days after inoculation. Sarcoma-inducing virus was recoverable from spleens in both peaks.