Type C-related human endogenous retroviral sequences have been previously discovered and characterized [Martin, M. A., Bryan, T., Rasheed, S. & Khan, A.S. (1981) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78, 4892-4896]. We investigated the transcriptional pattern of these sequences to determine whether and to what extent their expression is altered in colon tumors and colon cancer cell lines as compared to normal colon mucosa (NCM). Of two long terminal repeat (LTR)-specific transcripts [3.6 and 2.1 kilobases (kb)], the 3.6-kb RNA was particularly abundant in NCM but strikingly decreased in most primary colon cancers tested. In NCM we identified three envelope gene (env)-related transcripts--namely, 3.0, 1.7, and 0.6 kb. Colon tumors appeared to express higher levels of these transcripts, especially the 1.7-kb species. In one case of dysplasia and in one benign tumor, this 1.7-kb transcript was clearly increased. We also examined the pattern of transcription in colon cancer cell lines HCT and Caco2. The LTR-homologous 3.6-kb transcript, very abundant in NCM, was decreased in primary tumors and in HCT cells and virtually absent in Caco2 cells. The latter, however, appeared to produce the transcript when growing exponentially, indicating that Caco2 cultures provide an inducible system susceptible to in vitro manipulation. Both cell lines also contained higher amounts of the 1.7-kb env-related transcript. The decrease of the 3.6-kb RNA in colon tumors versus NCM may be the result of an altered pattern of differentiation, whereas the increase of the 1.7-kb RNA in tumors may represent an early marker of colon neoplasia.
