Mya Symons
Mya Symons
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- 1,029
- Location
- Washington
What is Maloney MuLv? How long have they been messing around with MuLv's? I looked this up on google scholar and there are hundreds of research papers that mention Maloney MuLv and one other MuLv. The following seems to indicate it can be infectious to humans, but only if it is injected. How would they know this--it seems like they have injected it into humans before. Why would they be injecting it into humans? (Am I reading this wrong. Are they actually saying that if they injected one part of the virus with another virus, it would be contagious to humans?) Further, if they have been messing around with these for so long, wouldn't there be a much greater risk that something combined in a laboratory (before the prostate studies) to create a infectious MuLv that got out of the lab?
Retroviruses/Moloney Murine Leukemia Virus (MoMuLV)
Risks of MMLV vectors: Data suggests a pathogenic mechanism in which chronic productive retroviral
infection allowed insertional mutagenesis leading to cell transformation and tumor formation. Pseudotyping
also increases host range and risk of infection.
General criteria for a risk assessment:
Host Range: The host range of recombinant MoMuLV vectors is dependent on the specificity of
the viral envelope. The ecotropic env gene produces particles that infect only rodent cells. Am
photropic env gene allows infection of murine and non-murine cells, including human.
Zoonosis: None, unless pseudotyped
Clinical Manifestation: In vivo infection in humans appears to require direct injection with
amphotropic or pseudotyped virus. Cell transformation and tumor formation.
Infectious Dose: Unknown
Cell types able to be infected/transduced: Cell division is required for infection.
Transgene considerations: Is the transgene oncogenic or biotoxic? If so, increased risk. Host
-vector systems:
Vector information: MoMuLV integrates into the host genome and is present in infected cells
as a DNA provirus.
Packaging cell line: Certain cell lines provide the packaging signal in trans. A helper virus can
increase the risk due to recombination and reconstitution of helper virus resulting in contamination.
What is the potential for generation of replication competent virus from vectors by recombination?
Recombination may occur (1) between endogenous murine retroviral sequences in the packaging
cells line and (2) between vector coding sequences and the helper packaging sequences to generate
infectious viral particles.
Envelope protein in the packaging system: The packaging cell line determines if the vector is
ecotropic, xenotropic, or amphotropic.
General containment considerations:
BL-1 is appropriate when ecotropic or the native envelope is used and it has been shown to be
replication incompetent. BL-2 is appropriate for many constructs, while higher levels may be
required depending upon the construct. During production phase of the vector, BL-2 is appropriate
until replication incompetence is demonstrated.
Animal Research Considerations:
Housing and husbandry: ABL-1 Contact with feces or urine from infected animals for 72 hours
post infection. Contact with tissues and body fluids of infected animals.
Vector Administration: ABL-1 or ABL-2 depending on the construct/pseudotyping
Disinfection: 10% bleach (recommended)
Questions?
Contact the Division of Research Safety, Biological Safety Section (333-2755 or via e-mail at
bss@illinois.edu) or visit our web site: http://www.drs.illinois.edu/bss/.
Other Biosafety Fact Sheets are available from the Biological Safety Section at our web site:
http://www.drs.illinois.edu/bss/factsheets.
http://www.drs.illinois.edu/bss/factsheets/pdf/RetrovirusesMoloney.pdf
Retroviruses/Moloney Murine Leukemia Virus (MoMuLV)
Risks of MMLV vectors: Data suggests a pathogenic mechanism in which chronic productive retroviral
infection allowed insertional mutagenesis leading to cell transformation and tumor formation. Pseudotyping
also increases host range and risk of infection.
General criteria for a risk assessment:
Host Range: The host range of recombinant MoMuLV vectors is dependent on the specificity of
the viral envelope. The ecotropic env gene produces particles that infect only rodent cells. Am
photropic env gene allows infection of murine and non-murine cells, including human.
Zoonosis: None, unless pseudotyped
Clinical Manifestation: In vivo infection in humans appears to require direct injection with
amphotropic or pseudotyped virus. Cell transformation and tumor formation.
Infectious Dose: Unknown
Cell types able to be infected/transduced: Cell division is required for infection.
Transgene considerations: Is the transgene oncogenic or biotoxic? If so, increased risk. Host
-vector systems:
Vector information: MoMuLV integrates into the host genome and is present in infected cells
as a DNA provirus.
Packaging cell line: Certain cell lines provide the packaging signal in trans. A helper virus can
increase the risk due to recombination and reconstitution of helper virus resulting in contamination.
What is the potential for generation of replication competent virus from vectors by recombination?
Recombination may occur (1) between endogenous murine retroviral sequences in the packaging
cells line and (2) between vector coding sequences and the helper packaging sequences to generate
infectious viral particles.
Envelope protein in the packaging system: The packaging cell line determines if the vector is
ecotropic, xenotropic, or amphotropic.
General containment considerations:
BL-1 is appropriate when ecotropic or the native envelope is used and it has been shown to be
replication incompetent. BL-2 is appropriate for many constructs, while higher levels may be
required depending upon the construct. During production phase of the vector, BL-2 is appropriate
until replication incompetence is demonstrated.
Animal Research Considerations:
Housing and husbandry: ABL-1 Contact with feces or urine from infected animals for 72 hours
post infection. Contact with tissues and body fluids of infected animals.
Vector Administration: ABL-1 or ABL-2 depending on the construct/pseudotyping
Disinfection: 10% bleach (recommended)
Questions?
Contact the Division of Research Safety, Biological Safety Section (333-2755 or via e-mail at
bss@illinois.edu) or visit our web site: http://www.drs.illinois.edu/bss/.
Other Biosafety Fact Sheets are available from the Biological Safety Section at our web site:
http://www.drs.illinois.edu/bss/factsheets.
http://www.drs.illinois.edu/bss/factsheets/pdf/RetrovirusesMoloney.pdf
