title: Investigation of TT virus in the etiology of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
abstract: Infectious agents have been implicated in the pathogenesis of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). A novel human DNA virus, TT virus (TTV), has been identified in children possessing characteristics as an etiologic agent, making the virus a potential candidate. Analysis of specimens from children with ALL was performed to determine if an association exists. Archived specimens (79 peripheral blood mononuclear cells, PBMC/bone marrow cells, BMC, and 125 cerebrospinal fluid, CSF) obtained at diagnosis and during therapy from 28 pediatric patients were tested for TTV. All of the diagnostic BMC/PBMC were negative for TTV, but 7 patients had follow-up specimens that converted to TTV positivity. TTV was not detected in any CSF. The absence of TTV at diagnosis suggests TTV is unlikely to be causally associated with ALL in the cases analyzed. However, the data support TTV transmission through blood products and suggest that the CNS is not a sanctuary site for TTV.
authors.affiliation: Retrovirology Research Laboratory, Pacific Biomedical Research Center, Honolulu, Hawaii 92818, USA. bshirami@hawaii.edu
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shiramizu
authors.forename: Qigui
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Nigjie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yanagihara
authors.forename: Vivek R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Nerurkar
mesh_terms: D001773:Blood Cells / Q000821:virology; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000821:virology; D002648:Child; D004266:DNA Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology*; D022783:Torque teno virus
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral