Resistance of mouse nasopharynx to induction of neoplasia by herpes simplex virus.

Abstract

In previous studies, carcinoma of the uterine cervix of the mouse was induced by repeated vaginal exposure to inactivated herpes simplex viruses, type 1 or 2. To determine if the mouse nasopharynx is also susceptible to the carcinogenic effects of these viruses, animals were inoculated intranasally with suspensions of formaldehyde-inactivated herpes simplex viruses, type 1 or 2, or control material, four to five times a week. After exposure periods of 12, 20, and 32 weeks, groups of animals were killed randomly and the nasopharynx, along with the larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs, were examined histologically. No preinvasive or invasive lesions were detected. These data suggest that the nasopharynx and cervix of the mouse differ in susceptibility to induction of carcinogenesis by inactivated herpes simplex viruses.