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. 1989 Jul;80(7):617–621. doi: 10.1111/j.1349-7006.1989.tb01686.x

The × Gene of Hepatitis B Virus Induced Growth Stimulation and Tumorigenic Transformation of Mouse NIH3T3 Cells

Yumiko Shirakata 1, Minako Kawada 1, Yukio Fujiki 2, Haruhiko Sano 2, Munehiro Oda 2, Katsuyuki Yaginuma 1, Midori Kobayashi 1, Katsuro Koike 1,✉
PMCID: PMC5917810  PMID: 2507484

Abstract

To examine the transforming potential of the × gene product of hepatitis B virus (HBV), the X‐gene‐containing region (referred to as the HBx region) was introduced into mouse NIH3T3 cells. Each transformed cell line expressed X‐coding mRNA at a different level. A positive correlation was found between the level of X‐coding mRNA and the saturation density of the cells. The HBx‐transformed cell lines exhibited × protein production and tumor formation in nude mice. The function of HBV in oncogenesis may involve the continuous expression of the X‐gene‐coded product in the HBV DNA‐integrated cells.

Keywords: Hepatitis B virus, X gene, Cell saturation density, Trans‐activation, Oncogenesis

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