Group Group VI (ssRNA-RT) Family Retroviridae Genus Betaretrovirus | Order Unassigned Subfamily Orthoretrovirinae | |
Species Human mammary tumor virus Similar Mouse mammary tumor virus, Xenotropic murine leukemia, Gammaretrovirus |
Current research on the human mammary tumor virus
Human mammary tumor virus (HMTV) is a B-type retrovirus that is closely related to the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV). The existence of this virus was suspected for decades but nucleotide sequences identifying a unique virus in human breast cancer tumors were not confirmed until 2001. Viral particles were isolated several years later. Evidence for a role of HTMV/MMTV in human breast cancer has recently been reviewed.
References
Human mammary tumor virus Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA