title: Investigation of BK virus, Epstein-Barr virus and human papillomavirus sequences in postoperative thyroid gland specimens.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although recent evidence has implicated viruses in the regulation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and tumor progression, little is known regarding viral infections in thyroid malignancies. Thus the aim of this study was to detect sequences of 3 potentially oncogenic viruses - BK virus (BKV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human papillomavirus (HPV) - in a series of postoperative thyroid gland specimens.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients with thyroid nodules who underwent surgery for thyroid disease within a 3-year period were enrolled. Both nodular and adjacent normal thyroid tissue was surgically excised from each patient. Viral gene sequences of BKV (VP1), EBV (LMP1, EBNA2 and EBER1) and HPV were amplified by PCR. The PCR results were confirmed by direct sequencing analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VP1 gene sequences were detected in 60% (18/30) of thyroid cancer or multinodular hyperplasia lesions compared with in 43.3% (13/30) of adjacent normal thyroid tissue specimens. Fifteen of thirty (50%) of thyroid cancer or multinodular hyperplasia samples revealed LMP1 sequences compared with 46.7% (14/30) of corresponding normal thyroid tissues. EBNA2 gene sequences were detected in 90% (27/30) of thyroid cancer or multinodular hyperplasia samples, compared with 90% (27/30) of adjacent normal thyroid tissue specimens. All samples were negative for EBER1 sequences, while HPV DNA was not detected in either nodular or normal thyroid tissue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that BKV and EBV "infection" is an early event, occurring within normal tissue. Our findings do not show a clear role for the viruses examined, instead they suggest an "endemicity" pattern rather than a causal effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Heraklion - Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stamatiou
authors.forename: Stavros P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Derdas
authors.forename: Emmanouil K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Symvoulakis
authors.forename: Georgios H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Sakorafas
authors.forename: Odysseas
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Zoras
authors.forename: Demetrios A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Spandidos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D052685:Alphapapillomavirus / Q000235:genetics; D001739:BK Virus / Q000235:genetics; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins