[Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in lung cancer tissue by indirect in situ nested PCR].
OBJECTIVE
To localize Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA (TB-DNA) in lung cancer tissue and to investigate the possible relationship of this bacterial infection with the development of lung cancer.


METHODS
A sensitive and specific indirect in situ nested PCR (ISNPCR) was used to identify and localize TB-DNA in 15 formalin fixed paraffin-embedded lung cancer tissue specimens, which had been demonstrated to be positive for TB-DNA by conventional PCR.


RESULTS
Positive granules of TB-DNA in brown color was found mainly in the cytoplasm of the alveolar epithelial cells, pulmonary macrophages, inflammatory cells and a few tumor cells within lung cancer tissues.


CONCLUSIONS
Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection may play a role in the pathogenesis of lung cancer.
Song
Lan-Ying
LY
Department of Pathology, First Military Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
Yan
Wen-Sheng
WS
Zhao
Tong
T
D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000382:microbiology*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000209:etiology