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. 1969 Nov;64(3):1087–1094. doi: 10.1073/pnas.64.3.1087

ONCOGENES OF RNA TUMOR VIRUSES AS DETERMINANTS OF CANCER

Robert J Huebner 1, George J Todaro 1
PMCID: PMC223347  PMID: 5264139

Abstract

Evidence from sero-epidemiological studies and from cell culture studies supports the hypothesis that the cells of many, and perhaps all, vertebrates contain information for producing C-type RNA viruses. It is postulated that the viral information (the virogene), including that portion responsible for transforming a normal cell into a tumor cell (the oncogene), is most commonly transmitted from animal to progeny animal and from cell to progeny cell in a covert form. Carcinogens, irradiation, and the normal aging process all favor the partial or complete activation of these genes. An understanding of how normal cells and normal animals prevent expression of endogenous viral information would appear to offer one of the best hopes for the control of naturally occurring cancers.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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