title: JC polyomavirus in the aetiology and pathophysiology of glial tumours.
abstract: Glial brain tumours with their poor prognosis, limited treatment modalities and unclear detailed pathophysiology represent a significant health concern. The purpose of the current study was to investigate and describe the possible role of the human polyomavirus JC as an underlying cancerogenic or co-cancerogenic factor in the complex processes of glial tumour induction and development. Samples from 101 patients with glial tumours were obtained during neurosurgical tumour resection. Small tissue pieces were taken from several areas of the histologically verified solid tumour core. Biopsies were used for DNA extraction and subsequent amplification reactions of sequences from the JC viral genome. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used for detection and quantification of its non-coding control region (NCCR) and gene encoding the regulatory protein Large T antigen (LT). An average of 37.6% of all patients was found to be LT positive, whereas only 6.9% tested positive for NCCR. The analysis of the results demonstrated significant variance between the determined LT prevalence and the rate for NCCR, with a low starting copy number in all positive samples and threshold cycles in the range of 36 to 42 representing viral load in the range from 10 to 1000 copies/μl. The results most probably indicate incomplete JC viral replication. Under such conditions, mutations in the host cell genome may be accumulated due to interference of the virus with the host cell machinery, and eventually malignant transformation may occur.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Neurosurgery, Military Medical Academy, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Tihomir
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eftimov
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital "St. Marina", Medical University of Varna, 1 "Hristo Smirnenski" Boulevard, 9010, Varna, Bulgaria. dr.y.enchev@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yavor
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Enchev
authors.affiliation: Center for Diagnosis and Analysis of Viruses and Viral Diseases, Military Medical Academy, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Iliya
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tsekov
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Neurosurgery, Military Medical Academy, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Plamen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Simeonov
authors.affiliation: Center for Diagnosis and Analysis of Viruses and Viral Diseases, Military Medical Academy, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Zlatko
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kalvatchev
authors.affiliation: Department of Imaging Diagnostics and Radiotherapy, University Hospital "St. Marina", Medical University of Varna, Varna, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Elitsa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Encheva
mesh_terms: D000957:Antigens, Viral, Tumor / Q000235:genetics; D001706:Biopsy; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D018628:Gene Dosage; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007577:JC Virus; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding / Q000235:genetics; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000957:Antigens, Viral, Tumor; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding
keywords: Cancerogenesis; Glial tumours; Glioblastoma multiforme; JC polyomavirus