title: Merkel cell polyomavirus DNA sequences in peripheral blood and tissues from patients with Langerhans cell histiocytosis.
abstract: Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a group of granulomatous disorders in which abnormal Langerhans cells proliferate as either a localized lesion in a single bone or disseminated disease involving two or more organs or systems. Because the different LCH forms exhibit significantly elevated levels of inflammatory molecules, including pro-inflammatory cytokines and tissue-degrading enzymes, we investigated for a possible viral trigger in LCH pathogenesis. We looked for Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) in peripheral blood cells and tissues using quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry staining with anti-MCPyV large T-antigen antibody. Our findings revealed elevated amounts of MCPyV DNA in the peripheral blood cells of 2 of 3 patients affected by LCH with high-risk organ involvement (RO+) and absence of MCPyV DNA in the blood cells in all 12 LCH-RO- patients (P = .029). With lower viral loads (0.002-0.033 copies/cell), an elevated number of MCPyV DNA sequences was detected in 12 LCH tissues in comparison with control tissues obtained from patients with reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (0/5; P = .0007), skin diseases not related to LCH in children younger than 2 years (0/11; P = .0007), or dermatopathic lymphadenopathy (5/20; P = .0002). The data, including frequent but lower viral loads and low large-T antigen expression rate (2/13 LCH tissues), suggest that development of LCH as a reactive rather than a neoplastic process may be related to MCPyV infection.
authors: Division of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago 683-8503, Japan. Electronic address: ichiro.murakami.09@gmail.com.
authors: Ichiro
authors: I
authors: Murakami
authors: Michiko
authors: M
authors: Matsushita
authors: Takeshi
authors: T
authors: Iwasaki
authors: Satoshi
authors: S
authors: Kuwamoto
authors: Masako
authors: M
authors: Kato
authors: Yasushi
authors: Y
authors: Horie
authors: Kazuhiko
authors: K
authors: Hayashi
authors: Toshihiko
authors: T
authors: Imamura
authors: Akira
authors: A
authors: Morimoto
authors: Shinsaku
authors: S
authors: Imashuku
authors: Jean
authors: J
authors: Gogusev
authors: Francis
authors: F
authors: Jaubert
authors: Katsuyoshi
authors: K
authors: Takata
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Oka
authors: Tadashi
authors: T
authors: Yoshino
mesh_terms: D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006646:Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D061346:Laser Capture Microdissection; D008297:Male; D059965:Merkel cell polyomavirus; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming; D004279:DNA, Viral
keywords: Dermatopathic lymphadenopathy; Langerhans cell histiocytosis; Langerhans cells; Merkel cell polyomavirus; Multiplex quantitative real-time PCR