SV40 DNA sequences in mesotheliomas

To investigate the presence of SV40 DNA sequences in human British mesotheliomas, PCR analysis using PYV and SV primers which amplify a 172 bp fragment of SV40LTAg and a 105 bp fragment unique to the SV40LTAg respectively was performed on archival and frozen tissues. Nine pleural mesotheliomas, nine adenocarcinomas metastatic to the pleura and three inflammatory disorders of the pleura were studied. PCR positivity with the SV primer set was restricted to four of the nine cases of mesothelioma with concordance between paraffin embedded and frozen tissues. Positivity with the PYV primer set was observed in six mesotheliomas, two adenocarcinomas and one of the reactive pleurae. This study indicates that SV40 DNA sequences are present in a substantial proportion of British mesotheliomas.