Effects of steroid hormones on replication of murine sarcoma virus in mouse embryo cultures.

The androgenic steroid hormone, testosterone, inhibited focus formation by the murine Moloney sarcoma virus in mouse embryo cells. The inhibition of focus formation was enhanced by cyclic AMP. Although focus formation was inhibited, there was no inhibition of viral replication. The glucogenic adrenal corticosteroids, cortisol and dexamethasone, and 17-beta-estradiol and progesterone did not affect focus formation by MuSV(M).