Extensive research has shown that Simian Virus 40, a contaminant of polio and adenovirus vaccines that may be implicated in human cancers, can also serve as a powerful probe for examining many fundamental questions in molecular biology. In SV40 Protocols, Leda Raptis and a panel of highly experienced investigators describe in step-by-step fashion key techniques for experimentally detecting SV40 in human tumors, for exploiting its use in human gene therapy, and for studying its replication and its mechanisms of neoplastic transformation. Included are methods for growing SV40 and its related viruses in tissue culture, for in vivo and in vitro replication and transcription of SV40 DNA, for the use of retroviral vectors to express SV40 tumor antigens in cultured cells, and for transgenic mouse models based on the SV40 large T antigen. All methods have been optimized for experimental success, and the authors provide cogent discussions of the problems and pitfalls that may be encountered, as well as valuable troubleshooting advice. An appendix lists all companies whose products are cited in the text and includes an Internet directory for locating other reagent sources.
Detailed and highly practical, SV40 Protocols offers both clinical and basic researchers powerful, well-tested tools for research on SV40 replication and neoplastic transformation, as well as techniques for its detection in human tumors and for creating and using powerful new gene therapy vectors.