Detection of Merkel Cell Polyomavirus in the Human Tissues from 41 Japanese Autopsy Cases Using Polymerase Chain Reaction.

Sept 2012

Matsushita M, Kuwamoto S, Iwasaki T, Higaki-Mori H, Yashima S, Kato M, Murakami I, Horie Y, Kitamura Y, Hayashi K.

Source

Division of Molecular Pathology, Department of Pathology, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine, Yonago, Japan.

Abstract

It has recently been shown that approximately 80% of Merkel cell carcinomas harbor a novel polyomavirus named Merkel cellpolyomavirus (MCPyV). MCPyV has been detected in human tissue samples. However, detailed distribution of MCPyV in non-neoplastic Japanese human tissues remains unclear. To address this, we used single or real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for 41 autopsy cases. PCR revealed MCPyV-DNA in non-neoplastic samples: total, 29/41 (71%); adult, 29/39 (74%); fetus or infant, 0/2; men, 24/28 (86%); women, 5/13 (38%); total human tissues, 66/572 (12%); skin, 8/15 (53%); adrenal gland, 9/33 (27%), and other 16 organs (4-25%). This study first reported the presence of MCPyV-DNA in non-neoplastic tissues of thyroid gland, adrenal gland, spleen, bone marrow, stomach, gallbladder, pancreas, heart, and aorta. PCR revealed that viral load ranged from 0.00026 to 0.22 in all MCPyV-positive tissues compared with Merkel cell carcinoma samples. These detailed PCR data showed higher prevalence of MCPyV infection in Japanese men than women (p = 0.004) and broad distribution of MCPyV with low viral load in more non-neoplastic human tissues than in the previous reports. These data provide valuable insights for further studies of MCPyV infection and MCPyV-related diseases.

Karger

Detection of Merkel cell polyomavirus DNA in Merkel cell carcinomas.

Detection of Merkel cell polyomavirus DNA in Merkel cell carcinomas.

Br J Dermatol. 2009 May

Varga E, Kiss M, Szabó K, Kemény L.
Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University of Szeged, Korányi fasor 6, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary.

Background Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive tumour for which an increasing incidence has been reported. A new human polyomavirus, Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV), was recently isolated from these tumours by applying digital transcriptome subtraction methodology. Objectives To detect the presence or absence of MCV in MCCs and other, randomly selected neoplasms. Methods Nine primary or recurrent MCCs from seven patients were examined; 29 other tumours (squamous cell, basal cell and basosquamous carcinomas and malignant melanomas) were examined for comparative purposes. Viral large T protein (LT1 and LT3), and viral capsid protein (VP1) were detected by primer-directed amplification, using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method, and the amplified PCR products were analysed by agarose gel electrophoresis and subsequent sequence analysis. Results The presence of viral T antigen and/or viral capsid DNA sequences was demonstrated in seven of the eight MCC lesions. None of the comparative samples contained MCV DNA. Conclusions Our findings strongly support the hypothesis that MCV infection may well be specific for MCC, and MCV may play a role in the pathogenesis of MCC.

WileyInterScience