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SV40 multiple tissue infection and asbestos exposure in a hyperendemic area for malignant mesothelioma

Manola Comar1, Clara Rizzardi, Renata de Zotti

  • 1Department of Public Medicine Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.

Cancer Research
|September 19, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Simian virus 40 (SV40) was detected in malignant mesothelioma tissues from patients in northeastern Italy. This virus was also found in other tissues, with higher loads in cancer cells, suggesting SV40 sustains infections in mesothelioma patients.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Virology
  • Environmental Health

Background:

  • Malignant mesothelioma is a rare cancer strongly linked to asbestos exposure.
  • Simian virus 40 (SV40) has been investigated for its potential role in human cancers, including mesothelioma.
  • Previous studies suggest a possible association between SV40 and mesothelioma, but its presence in multiple tissues requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of SV40 in malignant mesothelioma tissues.
  • To investigate the presence of SV40 in other tissues of mesothelioma patients.
  • To compare SV40 viral loads in malignant mesothelioma and normal tissues.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 19 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded malignant mesothelioma tissue samples.
  • Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) to quantify SV40 DNA.
  • Evaluation of asbestos exposure through occupational history and histological analysis.

Main Results:

  • SV40 genomic signals were detected in 15.8% (3 of 19) of malignant mesothelioma tissues.
  • SV40 was also found in other tissues of two patients, including liver (16.7%) and kidney (12.5%).
  • SV40 viral loads were significantly higher in malignant mesothelioma tissues compared to normal tissues (P = 0.045).

Conclusions:

  • SV40 infection is present in malignant mesothelioma patients from an area endemic for asbestos-related mesothelioma.
  • SV40 appears to sustain infections across multiple tissues in these patients.
  • The findings support a potential role for SV40 in the pathogenesis of malignant mesothelioma in conjunction with asbestos exposure.

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