Genetics of host resistance to retroviruses and cancer

Abstract

As with all infectious diseases, susceptibility to infection by oncogenic retroviruses is influenced by host genes. Insights into retroviral infection, both at the cellular and organismal level, have been determined through classical genetic studies, genetic manipulation of cell-culture systems, and the use of genetically modified animals. Host genes can regulate virtually every step in the retrovirus infection pathway-from virus entry to intrinsic cellular responses to infection, to the host immune response to infected cells. Identification of many of the genes and mechanisms that control retroviral infection has occurred through the study of two organisms: chickens and mice, by naturally occurring pathogens, specifically; from avian sarcoma/leukosis virus (ASLV) and from murine leukemia virus (MuLV) and mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV), respectively. Although much has been learned about the in vivo retroviral life cycle and the control of infection, surprisingly few genes that control retroviral oncogenesis beyond the stage of infection have been identified through the use of genetics. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.