Significant association between human osteosarcoma and simian virus 40.
BACKGROUND
Simian virus 40 (SV40) has been considered to be an oncogenic viral agent in the development of osteosarcoma (OS), which to the authors' knowledge continues to be of unknown etiology.


METHODS
In the current study, serum samples from patients with OS were investigated with an indirect enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA) to test for the presence of immunoglobulin G antibodies, which react with SV40 antigens. In ELISA, SV40 antigens were represented by 2 synthetic polypeptides that mimic epitopes of the viral capsid proteins 1 to 3. Additional sera from patients with breast cancer and undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma as well as healthy subjects were the controls.


RESULTS
Immunologic results suggested that antibodies that react with SV40 mimotopes were more prevalent (44%) in serum samples from patients with OS compared with healthy subjects (17%). The difference in prevalence between these cohorts was statistically significant (P<.001). It is interesting to note that in the patients with OS, significance indicated the difference between OS versus breast cancer (44% vs 15%; P<.001) and OS versus undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (44% vs 25%; P<.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The data from the current study indicate an association between OS and SV40. These data could be transferred to clinical applications for innovative therapies to address SV40-positive OS.
Section of Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
Elisa
E
Mazzoni
Maria Serena
MS
Benassi
Alfredo
A
Corallini
Giovanni
G
Barbanti-Brodano
Angelo
A
Taronna
Piero
P
Picci
Giovanni
G
Guerra
Antonio
A
D'Agostino
Lorenzo
L
Trevisiol
Pier Francesco
PF
Nocini
Maria Vittoria
MV
Casali
Giuseppe
G
Barbanti-Brodano
Fernanda
F
Martini
Mauro
M
Tognon
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D002277:Carcinoma; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D013539:Simian virus 40 / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G
antibody; osteosarcoma; simian virus 40 (SV40); viral agent