Alterations in protein and glycoprotein composition of rat embryo fibroblasts transformed by herpes simplex virus type 2.

Total and superficially exposed plasma membrane components of tumorigenic herpes-simplex-virus (HSV)-transformed fibroblasts were studied. As a result of oncogenic HSV transformation, a significant decrease of polypeptides 230,000, 180,000, 56,000 and 43,000 daltons was found. These changes were accompanied by a significant increase in superficial exposition of several sialopeptides and two peptides of 30,000 and 15,000 daltons. It was suggested that these two peptides may represent virus-coded components of HSV-transformed fibroblasts. The present results indicate that the HSV-transformed tumorigenic cell clone meets all previously described criteria for oncogenically transformed cells.