Figure 5.

Tumour growth at cutaneous sites (muzzle and tail) and viral DNA detection at the four mucosal (vaginal, V; penile, P; anal, A; and oral, O) sites after MmuPV1 IV infection via the tail vein. Infections were introduced via the tail vein with 1 × 10⁸ viral DNA equivalent virions in eight Hsd: Nu female and six male mice that had been pre-wounded according to our standard protocol. The injection sites were treated topically with an excess of neutralizing antibody (MPV.A4) immediately post injection to neutralize any virions remaining at the site. (A, C) The animals were monitored for tumour growth at pre-wounded cutaneous sites and (B, D) for viral DNA detection by qPCR at mucosal sites. (E) tongue, (F) vaginal, (G) anal, (all 20×), were positive for viral DNA by in situ hybridization (ISH, in blue). Interestingly, dysplasia was found in the penile tissue (H&E, H, 10×, arrow) that was positive for viral DNA by ISH (I, 10×, K, 20×), viral capsid protein L1 (L, 20×), and E4 protein (J, M, 20×) by immunohistochemistry.