小干扰RNA抑制LRP16基因表达限制了MCF-7乳腺癌细胞增殖

雌激素雌二醇上调人乳腺癌细胞MCF 7中LRP16基因表达 ,该基因过表达促进MCF 7细胞增殖 .为进一步探讨LRP16基因不同表达水平对MCF 7细胞增殖的影响以及对雌激素的反应性增殖能力 ,采用针对LRP16基因特异的小干扰RNA策略 ,通过逆转录病毒介导及抗性筛选构建了LRP16基因被稳定抑制的 2个MCF 7细胞系 ,针对绿色荧光蛋白的干扰序列作为阴性对照 .Northern印迹实验检测了LRP16基因在各个细胞株中mNRA的水平 ,与对照组细胞比较 ,针对LRP16基因不同位置的 2个小干扰RNA可分别将该基因抑制 90 %和 6 0 % .细胞增殖试验结果显示 ,MCF 7细胞中LRP16基因表达抑制率越高 ,细胞增殖速率减慢越显著 (P <0 0 5 ) ;软琼脂集落形成试验结果显示 ,抑制LRP16基因在MCF 7细胞中表达 ,限制了细胞锚定非依赖性生长 ;细胞周期分析结果表明 ,LRP16基因抑表达使MCF 7细胞G1 S周期转换受抑 ;Western印迹结果表明 ,LRP16基因表达抑制的细胞中细胞周期蛋白E及细胞周期蛋白D1蛋白水平显著下调 ,但未检测到P5 3及Rb蛋白表达水平的影响 .雌二醇刺激的增殖实验结果显示 ,抑制LRP16基因表达没有消除MCF 7细胞的反应性增殖特征 .上述结果表明 ,LRP16基因表达量与MCF 7细胞增殖能力密切相关 ,抑制其表达可有效限制MCF 7细胞的增殖能力 ,提     

过表达外源M-CSF促进MCF7细胞增殖

为探讨过表达外源巨噬细胞集落刺激因子(M-CSF)对细胞增殖的影响,将重组载体 pCMV/cyto/myc-M-CSF转染MCF7细胞、G418筛选,RT-PCR、Western 印迹和免疫荧光鉴定M-CSF的mRNA表达、蛋白表达及定位,通过计算细胞倍增时间、MTT法及反义寡核苷酸抑制实验分析M-CSF对细胞增殖的影响. 结果表明,转染M-CSF的MCF7细胞过表达M-CSF-mRNA及蛋白,并且定位表达于细胞质;与转染空载体及未转染M-CSF组细胞比较,转染M-CSF的MCF7细胞倍增时间明显缩短、增殖能力显著增强,M-CSF的特异性反义寡核苷酸能抑制转染M-CSF的MCF7细胞的增殖,且抑制率随着反义寡核苷酸浓度的增高而增强;以上结果提示,胞质过表达M-CSF可促进MCF7细胞的增殖.     

白细胞介素-2受体在乳腺癌MCF-7细胞的表达

目的 :观察乳腺癌MCF 7细胞上白细胞介素 2受体 (IL 2R)α、β和γ链的表达、IL 2对MCF 7细胞增殖的作用及雌激素对三条链表达的影响。方法 :使用特异性IL 2R多克隆抗体以免疫细胞化学方法和流式免疫荧光法检测MCF 7细胞上IL 2R的表达 ,以MTT法及3 H TdR掺入法检测细胞增殖情况。结果 :MCF 7细胞上存在IL 2Rα、β、γ的免疫阳性物质 ,其中IL 2Rγ的表达要强于IL 2Rα、β的表达 ;10 -6mol/L浓度的雌二醇可促进IL 2Rα、β的阳性细胞数及IL 2Rγ的免疫阳性物质的含量 ;IL 2在 10 0U/ml至 10 0 0U/ml的浓度范围内可显著促进MCF 7细胞的增殖。结论 :MCF 7细胞上存在IL 2R且其表达受雌二醇的调节 ,IL 2可能通过IL 2R影响MCF 7细胞的增殖     

山杏叶乙酸乙酯提取物调控乳腺癌MCF7细胞增殖和凋亡的机制研究

为探究山杏叶乙酸乙酯提取物对乳腺癌MCF7细胞株增殖和凋亡的影响,本研究采用CCK8法检测山杏叶提取物对MCF7细胞增殖的抑制作用,流式细胞仪检测细胞凋亡率,倒置荧光显微镜和流式细胞仪分别检测胞内活性氧(ROS)的水平变化,RT-PCR检测细胞周期及凋亡相关基因的表达情况,试剂盒检测caspase-3的活性。实验表明,山杏叶提取物可降低MCF7细胞存活率,促进细胞凋亡,增加胞内ROS水平。同时上调和Bax,下调Bcl-2,增强caspase-3活性,并降低CDK4、CyclinE和CyclinD1的表达。综上说明山杏叶提取物可通过调控周期蛋白的表达来抑制MCF7细胞的增殖,并通过caspase途径和提升ROS水平来诱导MCF7细胞的凋亡。     

绿色荧光蛋白标记的人乳腺癌细胞株对化疗药物和DC/CIK治疗敏感性的研究

目的:研究绿色荧光蛋白AcGFP基因标记的人乳腺癌细胞株MCF7-pAcGFP对6种化疗药物的敏感性以及DC/CIK对其杀伤活性.方法:应用Fugene HD Transfection Reagent转染MCF-7细胞,经G418筛选获得稳定表达pAcGFP的乳腺癌细胞.采用MTT方法检测MCF7-pAcGFP细胞对6种化疗药物的敏感性以及DC/CIK对MCF7-pAcGFP细胞的杀伤活性.结果:稳定表达pAcGFP的乳腺癌细胞MCF7-pAcGFP对6种化疗药物的敏感性与未转染前相似(P>0.05),均对5-氟尿嘧啶、表柔比星和紫杉醇较为敏感;DC/CIK对MCF7细胞和MCF7-pAcGFP细胞的杀伤能力相同(P>0.05).结论:MCF7-pAcGFP细胞可代替MCF-7细胞用于抗乳腺癌药物筛选.     

蛋白酪氨酸磷酸酶SHP-2在乳腺癌细胞移动及粘附中的作用

探讨蛋白酪氨酸磷酸酶SHP 2在乳腺癌细胞MCF 7的移动及粘附中的作用 .利用基因重组技术分别将野生型SHP 2与突变型SHP 2与绿色荧光蛋白GFP的基因片段构成重组质粒 (SHP 2 GFP、SHP 2C >S GFP) .脂质体转染法分别转入MCF 7中 ,表达成功后筛选并建立SHP 2 GFP和SHP 2C >S GFP细胞株 .荧光显微镜观察细胞移动情况 ,免疫印迹法检测粘附分子E 钙粘蛋白和金属蛋白酶MMP 1及MMP 9的表达 .实验后建立SHP 2 GFP及SHP 2C >S GFP细胞株 ,同时观察到SHP 2C >S GFP细胞的形态发生明显改变 :从梭形状态变成圆形状态 .荧光显微镜发现 ,MCF 7细胞和SHP 2 GFP、SHP 2C >S GFP转染的细胞在 3h、6h、9h的移动情况分别是MCF 7为 10 %、2 3%、5 4% ,SHP 2 GFP为 15 %、4 9%、98% ,SHP 2C >S GFP为 4 %、11%、30 % .免疫印迹结果表明 ,SHP 2C >S GFP细胞的E 钙粘蛋白表达比SHP 2 GFP细胞明显升高 (P <0 0 5 ) .MMP 1及MMP 9的表达量在SHP 2 GFP细胞中有所增强 (P <0 0 5 ) .实验表明 ,SHP 2可能通过调节粘附分子和基质金属磷酸酶而在细胞移动、粘附中发挥重要作用     

环状GMP-AMP合成酶高表达对乳腺癌细胞上皮间质转化的影响*

目的: 探讨环状GMP-AMP合成酶(cGAS)高表达对乳腺癌MCF7细胞发生上皮间质转化(EMT)的影响。方法: 构建稳定高表达cGAS的慢病毒载体并转染MCF7细胞;转染后细胞分别培养12 h,24 h,48 h,72 h,每组实验重复三次,采用MTT检测cGAS对MCF7细胞增殖的影响; transwell法检测高表达cGAS对MCF7细胞迁移能力的影响;蛋白免疫印迹(Western blot)法分析EMT相关蛋白E-cadherin和N-cadherin的表达情况。结果: 与对照组比较,cGAS上调后MCF7细胞增殖能力显著增强(P＜0.05);细胞形态学观察显示cGAS上调后诱导MCF7细胞EMT发生,细胞形态由鹅卵石样变为梭形;transwell实验结果显示,cGAS上调导致MCF7细胞迁移能力增强(P＜0.05);Western blot结果表明,cGAS上调后上皮标记蛋白E-cadherin表达下降(P＜0.05),间质标记蛋白N-cadherin表达增加(P＜0.05)。结论: cGAS上调可增强乳腺癌细胞的增殖和迁移能力,诱导乳腺癌细胞EMT发生。     

LRP16对乳腺癌MCF-7细胞增殖的影响

用Northern印迹方法检测雌二醇 (17β E2 )对LRP16mRNA表达的时间及剂量依赖性调控作用 .构建LRP16基因启动子序列调控的萤光素酶报告子 (pS0 ) ,并与雌激素受体α和 β(ERα和ERβ)表达载体共转染COS 7和MCF 7细胞后测定萤光素酶活性 .将LRP16基因的表达载体转染MCF 7细胞 ,测定过表达LRP16对细胞的生长特性的影响 .17β E2 使MCF 7细胞中LRP16mRNA表达水平增加 ,增加幅度未显示出 17β E2 培养时间和剂量的依赖性 .pS0 与ERα表达载体共转染细胞的相对萤光素酶活性较非共转染组 (对照组 )及pS0 ERβ表载体共转染组升高 5～ 10倍 .LRP16基因过表达促进MCF 7细胞的增殖 .研究表明 ,雌激素可能通过ERα上调乳腺癌MCF 7细胞LRP16基因的表达并促进细胞增殖     

组蛋白去乙酰化酶抑制剂曲古抑菌素A对肿瘤多药耐药细胞敏感性的影响

目的:探讨组蛋白去乙酰化酶抑制剂曲古抑菌素A(TSA)对肿瘤多药耐药细胞敏感性的影响。方法:采用MTT法观察TSA对敏感细胞MCF7和多药耐药细胞MCF7/DOX存活率的影响;采用琼脂糖凝胶电泳、Western印迹和实时荧光定量PCR观察DNA梯带形成和凋亡相关蛋白的表达以及乙酰化H3和H4的表达。结果:TSA浓度为20~200 nmol/L时,MCF7组细胞存活率均显著高于MCF7/DOX组,当TSA浓度为50和100 nmol/L时差异最为显著;琼脂糖凝胶电泳表明,TSA浓度为50和100 nmol/L时,与MCF7组相比,MCF7/DOX组产生了更显著的DNA梯带,同时caspase-6及凋亡标志蛋白PARP表达水平高于MCF7组;2株细胞中乙酰化H4和H3没有显著差别,实时荧光定量PCR检测得到相同结果。结论:组蛋白去乙酰化酶抑制剂TSA通过激活caspase-6促进多药耐药细胞MCF7/DOX凋亡而抑制其增殖,与MCF7相比,TSA对MCF7/DOX细胞更为敏感,但原因并非H3、H4乙酰化的差异表达。TSA具有克服肿瘤细胞多药耐药性的应用前景。     

端粒酶RNA的反义cDNA对乳腺癌细胞凋亡的影响(英文)

 为了进一步探讨端粒酶RNA(hTR)的反义cDNA对乳腺癌MCF 7细胞凋亡可诱导性的影响 ,构建了能将外源基因整合至细胞基因组的整合型腺病毒载体vAd AAV ,并将hTR全长cDNA反向连接至此载体上 ,获得反义重组腺病毒vAdT AAV .vAd AAV和vAdT AAV分别感染MCF 7细胞后 ,获得两个细胞株MCF 7 vAd AAV和MCF 7 vAdT AAV ,其中MCF 7 vAdT AAV细胞基因组内整合有hTR反义cDNA并能稳定表达 .利用生存曲线、细胞形态学观察、DNA片段分析和流式细胞分析来测定NaBu和无血清DMEM诱导后细胞凋亡的反应性 .通过生存曲线 ,发现NaBu诱导的MCF 7 vAdT AAV细胞比对照组MCF 7和MCF 7 vAd AAV细胞更早出现凋亡 .电镜下 ,NaBu或去血清诱导的MCF 7 vAdT AAV细胞更早出现凋亡形态学指标 .流式细胞分析和DNA片段凝胶电泳实验均显示MCF 7 vAdT AAV细胞对凋亡的抵抗力下降 .研究结果表明 ,端粒酶RNA的反义cDNA使乳腺癌MCF 7细胞的凋亡可诱导性增强     

Wild mouse ecotropic murine leukemia virus infection of inbred mice: dual-tropic virus expression precedes the onset of paralysis and lymphoma.

NFS/N mice inoculated at birth with an ecotropic murine leukemia virus (Cas-Br-MuLV) obtained from wild mice developed hind limb paralysis beginning at 7 weeks of age and nonthymic lymphomas beginning at more than 20 weeks of age. Studies of 1- to 7-week-old Cas-Br-M MuLV-infected mice showed the following: (i) a marked increase in nonecotropic MuLV-related antigens on spleen cells but not thymocytes beginning at 2 weeks; (ii) the appearance of dual-tropic mink cell focus-forming (MCF) MuLV-related gp70 in spleen but not thymus or brain cells at 4 weeks; and (iii) the isolation of infectious MCF MuLV from spleen cells of 7-week-old mice. A role for MCF MuLV in Cas-Br-M MuLV-induced nonthymic lymphomas is indicated by these studies, and a role for recombinant MuLV in neurological disease is considered.     

Nonecotropic murine leukemia viruses in BALB/c and NFS/N mice: characterization of the BALB/c Bxv-1 provirus and the single NFS endogenous xenotrope

We used hybridization probes that react specifically with xenotropic and mink cell focus-forming virus envelope sequences to characterize the nonecotropic proviruses of BALB/c and NFS/N mice. Analysis of somatic cell hybrids with different BALB/c chromosomes showed that the 9 xenotropic and more than 20 MCF virus-related proviral sequences in this mouse were present on more than nine BALB/c chromosomes. Multiple copies were found on chromosomes 1, 4, 7, 12, and probably 11, and the copies found on a single chromosome were not identical by restriction enzyme mapping. We also identified and characterized the proviral sequences that give rise to infectious xenotropic virus in both BALB/c and NFS/N mice. BALB/c contains the major locus for induction of infectious virus in inbred mice, Bxv-1, which is on chromosome 1. We showed that this locus contains a single xenotropic provirus on an 18-kilobase HindIII fragment. Restriction enzyme analysis of a hybrid cell DNA that contains only the Bxv-1 xenotropic provirus showed that the Bxv-1 provirus contains restriction enzyme sites characteristic of the infectious virus induced from BALB/c fibroblasts. The Bxv-1 provirus and its flanking sequences also contain the same restriction sites as the provirus thought to contribute U3 long terminal repeat sequences to leukemogenic (class I) AKR MCF viruses. Analysis of cell hybrids made with the nonvirus-inducible strain NFS/N showed that the single xenotropic virus env gene of NFS mice, here termed Nfxv-1, is not on chromosome 1. Unlike that of Bxv-1, the restriction map of Nfxv-1 does not resemble that of any known infectious xenotropic virus including xenotropic viruses isolated from NFS mice. These data suggest that Bxv-1, but not Nfxv-1, is a full-length xenotropic provirus that can be transcribed directly to produce infectious virus.     

Identification of a spleen focus-forming virus in erythroleukemic mice infected with a wild-mouse ecotropic murine leukemia virus

An NFS/N mouse inoculated at birth with an ecotropic murine leukemia virus (MuLV) obtained from wild mice (Cas-Br-M MuLV) developed a lymphoma after 18 weeks. An extract prepared from the lymphomatous spleen was inoculated into newborn NFS/N mice, and these mice developed erythroleukemia within 9 weeks. Spleens from the erythroleukemic mice contained ecotropic and mink cell focus-inducing (MCF) MuLVs; however, when these viruses were biologically cloned and reinoculated into newborn NFS/N mice, no erythroleukemia was induced. In contrast, cell-free extracts prepared from the erythroleukemic spleens induced erythroleukemia within 5 weeks. Analysis of cell-free extracts prepared from the erythroleukemic spleens showed that they contained a viral species that induced splenomegaly and spleen focus formation in adult mice, with susceptibility controlled by alleles at the Fv-2 locus. The spleen focus-forming virus coded for a 50,000-dalton protein precipitated by antibodies specific to MCF virus gp70. RNA blot hybridization studies showed the genomic viral RNA to be 7.5 kilobases and to hybridize strongly to a xenotropic or MCF envelope-specific probe but not to hybridize with an ecotropic virus envelope-specific probe. The virus described here appears to be the fourth independent isolate of a MuLV with spleen focus-forming activity.     

Construction of recombinants between molecular clones of murine retrovirus MCF 247 and Akv: determinant of an in vitro host range property that maps in the long terminal repeat.

The leukemogenic mink cell focus-forming (MCF) retroviruses such as MCF 247 have biological properties distinct from those of their ecotropic progenitors. Nucleotide sequences encoding portions of gp70, Prp15E, and the long terminal repeat differ between the two types of viruses. To investigate the role of each of these genetic elements in determining the biological properties of MCF viruses, we prepared infectious molecular clones of MCF 247 and generated a set of recombinants between these clones and a molecular clone of Akv, the ecotropic parent of MCF 247. Each molecular clone of MCF 247 was distinct. All the recombinants between Akv and MCF 247 yielded infectious virus upon transfection. Most interestingly, recombinants which contain the long terminal repeat of MCF 247 were found to have an in vitro host range property that has been correlated with high oncogenic activity and thymotropism of certain MCF isolates; namely, they plated with higher efficiency on SC-1 cells than on NFS mouse embryo cells. Nononcogenic MCF isolates showed a slight preference for NFS cells, whereas Akv virus plated with approximately equal efficiency on the two cell types.     

端粒酶反义cDNA对乳腺癌细胞恶性表型的影响

 为了进一步探讨端粒酶在肿瘤发生中的作用 ,实验应用反义核酸技术研究端粒酶反义cDNA对乳腺癌细胞MCF 7恶性表型的影响 采用的方法包括 :基因重组、脂质体共转染法获得端粒酶反义重组病毒 ,病毒感染MCF 7后 ,检测细胞的生长曲线、细胞周期及集落形成能力 结果表明 ,与对照组细胞相比 ,反义病毒感染后的MCF 7细胞恶性表型明显降低 提示端粒酶RNA的反义cDNA的导入 ,可以显著抑制乳腺癌细胞恶性表型     

Nanofibrous scaffolds incorporating PDGF-BB microspheres induce chemokine expression and tissue neogenesis in vivo

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) exerts multiple cellular effects that stimulate wound repair in multiple tissues. However, a major obstacle for its successful clinical application is the delivery system, which ultimately controls the in vivo release rate of PDGF. Polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) microspheres (MS) in nanofibrous scaffolds (NFS) have been shown to control the release of rhPDGF-BB in vitro. In order to investigate the effects of rhPDGF-BB release from MS in NFS on gene expression and enhancement of soft tissue engineering, rhPDGF-BB was incorporated into differing molecular weight (MW) polymeric MS. By controlling the MW of the MS over a range of 6.5 KDa-64 KDa, release rates of PDGF can be regulated over periods of weeks to months in vitro. The NFS-MS scaffolds were divided into multiple groups based on MS release characteristics and PDGF concentration ranging from 2.5-25.0 microg and evaluated in vivo in a soft tissue wound repair model in the dorsa of rats. At 3, 7, 14 and 21 days post-implantation, the scaffold implants were harvested followed by assessments of cell penetration, vasculogenesis and tissue neogenesis. Gene expression profiles using cDNA microarrays were performed on the PDGF-releasing NFS. The percentage of tissue invasion into MS-containing NFS at 7 days was higher in the PDGF groups when compared to controls. Blood vessel number in the HMW groups containing either 2.5 or 25 microg PDGF was increased above those of other groups at 7d (p<0.01). Results from cDNA array showed that PDGF strongly enhanced in vivo gene expression of the CXC chemokine family members such as CXCL1, CXCL2 and CXCL5. Thus, sustained release of rhPDGF-BB, controlled by slow-releasing MS associated with the NFS delivery system, enhanced cell migration and angiogenesis in vivo, and may be related to an induced expression of chemokine-related genes. This approach offers a technology to accurately control growth factor release to promote soft tissue engineering in vivo.     

Interleukin-3-associated ganglioside GD1a is induced independently of normal interleukin-3 receptor in murine myelogenous leukaemia NFS60 cells transfected with the interleukin-3 gene

The mechanism of interleukin-3 (IL-3) independent cell growth and of IL-3-associated ganglioside expression was analysed using the IL-3 dependent murine myelogenous leukaemia cell line NFS60-17 andIL-3 gene-transfected sublines. The transfected cell lines showed autonomous cell growth, tumorigenicity, and IL-3 associated ganglioside GD1a expression in spite of their IL-3 production. While the parental NFS60-17 cells did not express significant amounts of GD1a, exogenous recombinant IL-3 (rIL-3) was demonstrated to induce IL-3-associated ganglioside GD1a expression in NFS60-17 cells. Furthermore, the growth potential of the transfected cells was not blocked by anti-IL-3 antibody and expression of GD1a was not affected by anti-IL-3 antibody. These findings suggest that IL-3 expressed intracellularly by gene transfection might act independently of the normal IL-3 receptor on autonomous cell growth and on IL-3-associated GD1a expression in murine myelogenous leukaemia NFS60 cells. Abbreviations: IL-3, interleukin-3; rIL-3, recombinant interleukin-3; FCS, fetal calf serum; PWM-SCCM, pokeweed mitogen-stimulated spleen cell conditioned medium; MTT, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide; DEAE, diethylaminoethyl; HPTLC, high performance thin layer chromatography. Glycosphingolipids are designated according to the recommendation of the Nomenclature Committee of the IUPAC [29] and gangliosides are designated as described [30].     

Role of mink cell focus-inducing virus in leukemias induced by Friend ecotropic virus

Recombinant viruses have been implicated in the pathogenesis of murine leukemias induced by a variety of long-latency retroviruses. Neonatal mice of several strains were inoculated with Friend ecotropic virus (F-Eco) and analyzed for the presence of mink cell focus-inducing (MCF) virus or DNA restriction enzyme fragments which were specific for Friend MCF virus (F-MCF). MCF virus was detected within 2 weeks of inoculation in NFS /N mice and at about 2 months after inoculation in BALB/c mice. Both of these strains developed erythroblastosis after inoculation with F-Eco. In contrast, MCF virus was not detected in F-Eco-inoculated C57BL mice. These mice were resistant to erythroblastosis but developed lymphoma or myelogenous leukemia or both at about 5 months after inoculation. Thus, although MCF viruses were associated with F-Eco erythroblastosis in NFS /N and BALB/c mice, they were not necessary for F-Eco-induced lymphoid or myeloid leukemias in C57BL mice. To investigate the association between resistance to erythroblastosis and absence of MCF virus, C57BL mice were inoculated with pseudotypic mixtures of F-Eco plus F-MCF; MCF virus replicated well in these mice, but the mice remained resistant to erythroblastosis. Furthermore, in genetic crosses between C57BL and NFS /N or BALB/c, some mice inherited resistance to F-Eco erythroblastosis without inheriting the C57BL resistance to the generation of MCF viruses. These results indicate that C57BL mice carry a gene for resistance to F-Eco erythroblastosis which is distinct from the C57BL genes which interfere with the generation of MCF viruses.     

p16基因导入致人乳腺癌MCF-7细胞端区缩短及细胞周期阻滞

为进一步探讨 p1 6基因在抗肿瘤及细胞衰老中的作用 ,以脂质体介导的方法 ,将重组的含全长 p1 6c DNA的逆转录病毒载体导入人乳腺癌 MCF- 7细胞 ,获得稳定整合有效表达 .检测其对MCF- 7细胞的端区长度、细胞形态、增殖特性及细胞周期的影响 .结果显示 :导入 p1 6c DNA后的MCF- 7细胞端区长度明显缩短、增殖减慢 ,细胞周期阻滞于 G1期 .由此推测 ,野生型 p1 6基因可能通过诱导端区缩短效应及抑制细胞增殖从而抑制肿瘤和启动细胞衰老 .     

Nucleotide sequence analysis establishes the role of endogenous murine leukemia virus DNA segments in formation of recombinant mink cell focus-forming murine leukemia viruses.

The sequence of 363 nucleotides near the 3' end of the pol gene and 564 nucleotides from the 5' terminus of the env gene in an endogenous murine leukemia viral (MuLV) DNA segment, cloned from AKR/J mouse DNA and designated as A-12, was obtained. For comparison, the nucleotide sequence in an analogous portion of AKR mink cell focus-forming (MCF) 247 MuLV provirus was also determined. Sequence features unique to MCF247 MuLV DNA in the 3' pol and 5' env regions were identified by comparison with nucleotide sequences in analogous regions of NFS -Th-1 xenotropic and AKR ecotropic MuLV proviruses. These included (i) an insertion of 12 base pairs encoding four amino acids located 60 base pairs from the 3' terminus of the pol gene and immediately preceding the env gene, (ii) the deletion of 12 base pairs (encoding four amino acids) and the insertion of 3 base pairs (encoding one amino acid) in the 5' portion of the env gene, and (iii) single base substitutions resulting in 2 MCF247 -specific amino acids in the 3' pol and 23 in the 5' env regions. Nucleotide sequence comparison involving the 3' pol and 5' env regions of AKR MCF247 , NFS xenotropic, and AKR ecotropic MuLV proviruses with the cloned endogenous MuLV DNA indicated that MCF247 proviral DNA sequences were conserved in the cloned endogenous MuLV proviral segment. In fact, total nucleotide sequence identity existed between the endogenous MuLV DNA and the MCF247 MuLV provirus in the 3' portion of the pol gene. In the 5' env region, only 4 of 564 nucleotides were different, resulting in three amino acid changes between AKR MCF247 MuLV DNA and the endogenous MuLV DNA present in clone A-12. In addition, nucleotide sequence comparison indicated that Moloney-and Friend-MCF MuLVs were also highly related in the 3' pol and 5' env regions to the cloned endogenous MuLV DNA. These results establish the role of endogenous MuLV DNA segments in generation of recombinant MCF viruses.