Detection of sequences in human leukemic cell DNA homologous with moloney mouse leukemia viral RNA.

DNA complementary to Moloney murine leukemia viral RNA was annealed with DNA isolated from peripheral leukocytes of twelve patients with leukemia. Six to 10% of the complementary DNA annealed to the DNA of one patient with acute myelogenous leukemia. The level of annealing of the complementary DNA to the other leukemic DNA's did not differ significantly from that to normal human spleen DNA. This result is consistent with reports of occasional positive results from other laboratories, but the significance, especially in reference to a causal role for RNA tumor viruses in human leukemia, remains unclear.