Detection of acquired provirus sequences in mammary tumors from low-expressor, low-risk mice.

Murine mammary tumor virus (MuMTV) provirus sequences in the DNA from early-occurring (average age 10 mo) and late occurring (age greater than 20 mo) tumors in BALB/cfC3H mice were analyzed by Eco RI restriction endonuclease mapping procedures. All early tumors were MuMTV antigen-positive mammary adenocarcinomas that contained the 0.92- and 4.0-kilo base (kb) exogenous C3H MuMTV-specific Pst I restriction endonuclease fragments. All but 1 of the late mammary adenocarcinomas had MuMTV antigens detected by peroxidase antiperoxidase staining, and all contained the 0.92- and 4.0-kb exogenous virus Pst I fragments. Three late nonmammary tumors lacked both MuMTV antigens and acquired provirus sequences. Greater numbers of MuMTV sequences were detected in both early and late-arising mammary tumors by Eco RI restriction endonuclease mapping than were detected in tissues from uninfected BALB/c mice. However, neither the number nor the location of MuMTV proviruses correlated with tumor latent period.