In vitro studies on target cells of oncogenic adenoviruses in hamster brain. II. In vitro transformation of brain cells of hamsters at various ages by human adenovirus type 12.

In vitro transformations of brain cells of hamsters of various ages were examined after the administration of human adenovirus type 12 (Ad 12) to determine the type and origin of the target cell. Hamster brain cells at all examined ages were transformed by Ad12. Although the virus was not isolated, virus specific tumor antigen was demonstrated in the transformed cells. The histological features of tumors that developed by transplantation of transformed cells closely resembled Ad12-induced brain tumors. The transformed cell focus tended to appear near the embryonic brain cell (EB cell) or glioblastic cell (GB cell). The transformed cells were morphologically similar to the EB or GB cell. Some subcultured transformed cells showed a rosette-like pattern, and the surrounding space arrangement was similar to that of the ventricular wall. The incidence of brain cell transformations decreased with increased hamster age. This decreased incidence with age corresponded to the decreased numbers of EB or GB cells present in progressively older hamsters. From these results, it is concluded that the target cells of AD12 in hamster brain cell cultures are probably the EB or GB cells.