Viral infections in prostate carcinomas in Chilean patients.
BACKGROUND
A few viruses have been detected in prostate cancer, however their role in the development of this malignancy has not been determined. The aim of this study was to analyze the presence and functionality of human papillomavirus (HPV) and polyomaviruses (BKPyV and JCPyV) in prostate carcinomas in Chilean patients.


METHODS
Sixty-nine primary prostate carcinomas were analyzed for the presence of HPV, BKPyV and JCPyV using standard polymerase chain reaction protocols. In addition, when samples were positive for HPyV, large T antigen (TAg) transcripts were analyzed using reverse transcriptase PCR.


RESULTS
HPV and JCPyV were not detected in any specimens (0/69, 0 %); whereas, BKPyV was detected in 6/69 PCas (8.7 %). We did not find a statistically significant association between the presence of BKPyV and age (p = 0.198) or Gleason score (p = 0.268). In addition, 2/6 (33 %) BKPyV positive specimens showed detectable levels of TAg transcripts.


CONCLUSIONS
There was no association between HPV or JCPyV presence and prostate cancer development. The presence of BKPyV in a small subset of prostate carcinomas in Chilean patients could indicate that this virus plays a potential role in prostate cancer development and requires further investigation.
Anatomy and Development Biology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBM), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Hector
H
Rodríguez
Virology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBM), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Jorge
J
Levican
Virology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBM), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Juan P
JP
Muñoz
Virology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBM), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Diego
D
Carrillo
Virology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBM), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Mónica L
ML
Acevedo
Virology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBM), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Aldo
A
Gaggero
Virology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBM), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Oscar
O
León
Infections and Cancer Biology Group, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France.
Tarik
T
Gheit
Biology Department, Universidad de Tarapacá, Tarapacá, Chile.
Omar
O
Espinoza-Navarro
Pathological Anatomy Department, Barros Luco-Trudeau Hospital, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Jorge
J
Castillo
Pathological Anatomy Service, Clinical Hospital, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Iván
I
Gallegos
Infections and Cancer Biology Group, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France.
Massimo
M
Tommasino
Virology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBM), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Francisco
F
Aguayo
Cancer; Prostate; Virus