Expression of mouse mammary tumor virus envelope protein does not prevent superinfection in vivo or in vitro.

Inbred mice expressing endogenous mouse mammary tumor virus envelope proteins can be infected with exogenous virus, and the mammary tumors that develop in these mice usually have many proviruses integrated in their genomes, indicating that this virus is not subject to receptor interference. We show here that transgenic mice expressing an exogenous mouse mammary tumor virus (C3H) envelope protein can still be infected with this virus. Moreover, cultured mammary gland cells expressing the mouse mammary tumor virus (C3H) envelope protein can be superinfected with pseudotyped viruses bearing that same protein. Thus cellular expression of the mouse mammary tumor virus envelope protein does not block superinfection in vivo or in vitro. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.