Oncogenic transformation of human embryo lung cells by human cytomegalovirus.

Persistent infection of human embryo lung fibroblasts with a genital isolate of cytomegalovirus resulted in oncogenic transformation of these cells. Immunofluorescence techniques detected virus-specific antigens, while microcytotoxicity tests established that the transformed cells share a membrane antigen with hamster cells transformed by inactivated cytomegalovirus. The transformed human cells induced progressively growing tumors in weanling athymic nude mice.