title: Polyomavirus BK and prostate cancer: a complex interaction of potential clinical relevance.
abstract: Several studies associating BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) and prostate cancer (PCa) suggested that this virus may exert its oncogenic activity at early stages of cancer development. The BKPyV oncogene, the large T antigen (LTag), has frequently been detected in areas of proliferative inflammatory atrophy, which is considered a precursor lesion leading to prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and overt PCa. In a recently updated systematic review, the presence of BKPyV was significantly higher in PCa tissues than in healthy control tissues, providing an indication for a link between BKPyV infection and cancer risk. In addition, recent original investigations highlighted an association between expression of the virus and the clinical course of PCa. For example, by studying immune responses elicited against BKPyV LTag, a significant association between LTag positive cancer lesions and a peculiar regulatory profiling has been observed in PCa patients with evidence of disease recurrence after surgical radical prostatectomy. Lastly, a study carried out in a larger cohort of patients undergoing radical prostatectomy revealed the IgG response against LTag as an independent predictor of disease recurrence. Although a full picture of the mechanisms potentially responsible for the involvement of BKPyV in PCa is not available yet, continuing work on this topic should help to refine the potential role of BKPyV in PCa patients, perhaps revealing unsuspected associations with the clinical course of this disease.
authors: Oncology Research Unit, Department of Urology and Division of Surgical Research, University and University Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Etienne Xavier
authors: EX
authors: Keller
authors: Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors: Serena
authors: S
authors: Delbue
authors: Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology, Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors: Mauro
authors: M
authors: Tognon
authors: Oncology Research Unit, Department of Urology and Division of Surgical Research, University and University Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Maurizio
authors: M
authors: Provenzano
mesh_terms: D000957:Antigens, Viral, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D001739:BK Virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000821:virology; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000957:Antigens, Viral, Tumor