Altered expression of cellular genes in adenovirus-transformed cells

Abstract

In the present study we report a major contribution of Ad12 region E1A in oncogenicity. We have found that expression of this region in transformed rat cells causes suppression of the production of class-I transplantation antigens and of a 32-kD cellular protein, resulting in a considerable reduction in susceptibility of the transformed cells to the cellular immune defense. This resistence to the host immune defense presumably causes the cells to be tumorigenic, even in immunocompetent animals.