High viral load of Merkel cell polyomavirus DNA sequences in Langerhans cell sarcoma tissues.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Langerhans cell (LC) sarcoma (LCS) is a high-grade neoplasm with overtly malignant cytologic features and an LC phenotype. We very recently suggested that LC behaves as a reservoir for common dermotropic Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) and determined the relationship between LC histiocytosis (LCH), which has an underlining oncogenic capacity, and MCPyV as a trigger for a reactive process rather than a neoplastic process. We propose LC to be a reservoir for MCPyV and hypothesize that some LCS subtypes may be related to the MCPyV agent. FINDINGS:We examined seven LCS tissues using multiplex quantitative PCR (Q-PCR) and immunohistochemistry with anti MCPyV large-T (LT) antigen antibody. High viral loads of MCPyV DNA sequences (viral load?=?relative levels of MCPyV) were detected (0.328-0.772 copies/cell (Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC)?=?1.0)) using Q-PCR in 43% (3/7) tissues, but LT antigen expression was not observed (0/7). CONCLUSIONS:Frequent MCPyV-DNA amplification suggests that LCS in some patients may be related to MCPyV infection. Moreover, the higher viral load of LCS (median, 0.453 copies/cell) than low load of LCH (0.003, median of 12 cases) (P?

SUBMITTER: Murakami I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4022531 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature