Increased Susceptibility of Cells from Cancer Patients with XV-Gonadal Dysgenesis to Simian Papovavirus 40 Transformation

Genetically susceptible cells in culture can be transformed by oncogenic viruses. Quantitative assay methods have been developed for estimating the frequency of transformation. In an attempt to estimate the susceptibility to transformation of cells from cancer patients with XY-gonadal dysgenesis, fibroblasts from two such patients were infected with simian papovavirus 40, and transformation frequency was de termined. Results of the quantitative assay indicate that the cells from these two patients were highly susceptible to transformation. It therefore appears that XY-gonadal dysgene sis resembles in this respect the group of disorders including Fanconi's anemia, Down's syndrome, and Klinefelter's syn