Mutation of the core or adjacent LVb elements of the Moloney murine leukemia virus enhancer alters disease specificity

Transcriptional enhancers of replication-competent mouse C-type retroviruses are potent determinants of the distinct disease-inducing phenotypes of different viral isolates and can also strongly influence the incidence and latent period of disease induction. To study the contribution of individual protein-binding sites to viral pathogenicity, we introduced mutations into each of the known nuclear factor-binding sites in the enhancer region of the Moloney murine leukemia virus and injected viruses with these mutations into newborn NFS mice. All viruses induced disease. Viruses with mutations in both copies of the leukemia virus factor a (LVa) site, leukemia virus factor c (LVc) site, or in just the promoter proximal copy of the glucocorticoid response element (GRE) had a latent period of disease onset and disease specificity indistinguishable from that of the wild-type Moloney virus. Viruses with mutations in two or three of the GREs, in both copies of the leukemia virus factor b (LVb) site, in two of the four nuclear factor l (NF1) consensus motifs, or in both copies of the conserved viral core element showed a significant delay in latent period of disease induction. Strikingly, viruses with mutations in the core element induced primarily erythroleukemias, and mutations in the LVb site also resulted in a significant incidence of erythroleukemias. These and other genetic and biochemical studies suggest models for how subtle alterations in the highly conserved structure of mouse C-type retrovirus enhancers can produce a dramatic effect on disease specificity.