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Merkel Cell Polyomavirus Infection and Detection
Published on: February 7, 2019
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Merkel cell polyomavirus and extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma
Kathryn C Hourdequin1, Joel A Lefferts, Jeoffry B Brennick
1Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA ; Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Lebanon, NH, USA.
Oncology Letters
|October 19, 2013
Summary
Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV) DNA was detected in 19% of extrapulmonary small cell carcinomas (ESCC), though less frequently than in Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). This suggests MCV may play a role in rare ESCC cases.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Virology
- Pathology
Background:
- Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV) is a known cause of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC).
- Extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma (ESCC) shares histological similarities with MCC.
- Previous studies indicated infrequent detection of MCV in lung neuroendocrine carcinomas.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and frequency of MCV DNA in extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma (ESCC).
- To compare MCV detection rates between ESCC and MCC.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays were used to detect four genomic targets of MCV.
- DNA was extracted from 16 archived ESCC tissue specimens.
- 11 MCC tissue specimens served as positive controls.
Main Results:
- MCV DNA was detected in 3 out of 16 (19%) ESCC cases.
- MCV was detected in all 11 MCC positive controls.
- MCV detection in ESCC was less frequent and involved fewer viral targets compared to MCC.
Conclusions:
- MCV is detected less frequently in ESCC than in MCC, despite histological similarities.
- The role of MCV in the etiology of ESCC is uncertain but may contribute to rare, idiopathic cases.
- Potential sequence variability in the MCV genome might explain detection failures in some assays.
