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Medulloblastomas and primitive neuroectodermal tumors rarely contain polyomavirus DNA sequences

John Y H Kim1, Igor J Koralnik, Mark LeFave

  • 1Division of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.

Neuro-Oncology
|June 27, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Polyomavirus infection was investigated as a cause for medulloblastoma and supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors (sPNETs). SV40 DNA was detected in one medulloblastoma cell line, but not in primary tumors.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Virology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Polyomaviruses, including simian virus 40 (SV40), JC virus, and BK virus, possess oncogenic potential.
  • Previous studies have detected polyomavirus DNA in various solid tumors, including pediatric brain tumors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the hypothesis that medulloblastoma and supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors (sPNETs) may arise from polyomavirus infections.
  • To screen for the presence of SV40, JC virus, and BK virus DNA in primary tumor samples and cell lines.

Main Methods:

  • Genomic DNA from 15 medulloblastoma and 5 sPNET biopsy specimens, plus 2 medulloblastoma cell lines, was analyzed.
  • Southern blot hybridization and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with specific polyomavirus probes were employed.

Main Results:

  • JC virus and BK virus DNA were not detected in any of the analyzed specimens.
  • SV40 DNA sequences were absent in all primary medulloblastoma and sPNET samples.
  • SV40 DNA (coding and noncoding) and nuclear expression of SV40 large T antigen were identified in the D283-Med cell line.

Conclusions:

  • Medulloblastomas and sPNETs infrequently show evidence of polyomavirus infection compared to other pediatric brain tumors like ependymomas.
  • While SV40 was not found in primary tumors, its presence in a medulloblastoma cell line warrants further investigation.

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