title: No detection of simian virus 40 in malignant mesothelioma in Korea.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Simian virus 40 (SV40), a polyomavirus, was discovered as a contaminant of a human polio vaccine in the 1960s. It is known that malignant mesothelioma (MM) is associated with SV40, and that the virus works as a cofactor to the carcinogenetic effects of asbestos. However, the reports about the correlation between SV40 and MM have not been consistent. The purpose of this study is to identify SV40 in MM tissue in Korea through detection of SV40 protein and DNA.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed 62 cases of available paraffin-blocks enrolled through the Korean Malignant Mesothelioma Surveillance System and performed immunohistochemistry for SV40 protein and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for SV40 DNA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 62 total cases, 40 had disease involving the pleura (64.5%), and 29 (46.8%) were found to be of the epithelioid subtype. Immunostaining demonstrated that all examined tissues were negative for SV40 protein. Sufficient DNA was extracted for real-time PCR analysis from 36 cases. Quantitative PCR of these samples showed no increase in SV40 transcript compared to the negative controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SV40 is not associated with the development of MM in Korea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Korea.
authors.forename: Minseob
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eom
authors.forename: Jamshid
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abdul-Ghafar
authors.forename: Sun-Mi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Joung Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Soon Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Kun Young
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Eun Suk
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Wan Seop
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seung Yeon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Kyo Young
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chang Hun
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hye Kyoung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Yoo Duk
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Myoung Ja
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Soon-Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jung
keywords: Immunohistochemistry; Mesothelioma; Polymerase chain reaction; Simian virus 40