Herpes Simplex Virus and human cancer. II. Search for relationship between labial tumours and Herpes Simplex Type 1

Abstract

Cellular proliferation was obtained from 30 out of 58 labial tumours examined. None of the cellular cultures obtained presented Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) specific antigens. Tumour cell cultures demonstrated the same susceptibility to HSV-1 as cells from normal lip tissue, HEp-2 and BHK cells. The presence of HSV-1 DNA was investigated in 12 labial tumours by the blotting technique. The sensitivity of the technique made it possible to reveal 0.5 viral genome equivalent per cell. Viral DNA was not detected in any of the tumours tested.