Biology of mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV)

Mouse mammary tumor viruses (MMTV) replicate in the mammary gland, appear as infectious particles in motherʹs milk and invade the sucking pups from the intestinal tract. The immune system is essential for MMTV in the gut to reach the mammary gland. These properties make the life cycle of MMTV unique. We review the oncologically and immunologically intriguing events caused by MMTV in relation to the life cycle of the virus.