Influence of Synthetic Double-Stranded Ribonucleic Acid (Poly I: C) on SV 40 Viral Oncogenesis and Transplant Tumor in Hamsters 1

Abstract

Summary

Studies were carried out to measure the effect of a synthetic double-stranded RNA, poly I:C, on SV₄₀ transplant tumor growth and SV₄₀ viral oncogenesis in hamsters. Single or multiple doses of poly I:C given intraperitoneally before and/or after subcutaneous inoculation of SV₄₀ virus into newborn hamsters had little or no effect on the percentage of animals developing subcutaneous tumors later in life. Likewise, single or multiple doses of varying amounts of poly I:C administered intraperitoneally before and /or after subcutaneous inoculation of 1000 to 500,000 virus-free SV₄₀ tumor cells had little or no effect on the rate of tumor appearance in adult male hamsters.

The authors are indebted to W. R. Clark, W. S. Collom, and T. A. Napier for technical assistance. Statistical computations were done by A. McLean.