TherearesomeIndicationsthttherpesaimplexvirus(HSV)maybemutagenic.SpecificchromosomalchangeshavealsobeendemonstratedInculturedcellsinfectedwithHSV.TofurtherInvestigatethemutagenicactivityofHSVtype2(HSV-2)weusedmouseskinasamodelsystemforcardnogenetls.Inoculationofthebackskinof4-week-oldSencarmkewithlivevirustwiceperweekforoneweekorwithInactivatedvirustwiceperweekfortwoweekswasusedtoInitiatethemouseakin.AfterInitiationwithHSV-2,12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetale(TPA)wasappliedtwiceweeklyfor50weeksasapromoter.Duringaperiodof52weeks,noskincarcinomawasfoundIntheexperimentalgroups,whereas55%ofcontrolmicetreatedwith9,10-dlmethy1-1,2-benzanthracene(DMBA)andthenwithTPA-developedskincarcinoma.TheresultsdemonstratethatHSV-2couldnotsubstituteforDMBAinthisanimalmodeloftwo-stageskincarcinogenesis.
