Vet. Res. 38 (2007) 211-228
DOI: 10.1051/vetres:2006060

Jaagsiekte Sheep Retrovirus (JSRV): from virus to lung cancer in sheep

Caroline Leroux^a, Nicolas Girard^a, Vincent Cottin^{a, b}, Timothy Greenland^a, Jean-François Mornex^{a, b} and Fabienne Archer<sup>a

a</sup>  Université de Lyon 1, INRA, UMR754, École Nationale Vétérinaire de Lyon, IFR 128, F-69007, Lyon, France
^b  Centre de référence des maladies orphelines pulmonaires, Hôpital Louis Pradel, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France

(Received 11 September 2006; accepted 23 November 2006; published online 25 January 2007)

Abstract - Jaagsiekte Sheep Retrovirus (JSRV) is a betaretrovirus infecting sheep. This virus is responsible for a pulmonary adenocarcinoma, by transformation of epithelial cells from the bronchioli and alveoli. This animal cancer is similar to human bronchioloalveolar cancer (BAC), a specific form of human lung cancer for which a viral aetiology has not yet been identified. JSRV interacts with target cells through the membrane receptor Hyal2. The JSRV genome is simple and contains no recognised oncogene. It is now well established that the viral envelope protein is oncogenic by itself, via the cytoplasmic domain of the transmembrane glycoprotein and some domains of the surface glycoprotein. Activation of the PI3K/Akt and MAPK pathways participates in the envelope-induced transformation. Tumour development is associated with telomerase activation. This review will focus on the induction of cancer by JSRV.

Key words: JSRV / ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma / bronchioloalveolar cancer / type II pneumocytes / lung

Corresponding author: caroline.leroux@univ-lyon1.fr

© INRA, EDP Sciences 2007