title: Polyomavirus and Naturally Occuring Neuroglial Tumors in Raccoons (Procyon Lotor).
abstract: Polyomavirus (PyV) infections are widespread in human populations and, although generally associated with silent persistence, rarely cause severe disease. Among diseases convincingly associated with natural PyV infections of humans, there are remarkably different tissue tropisms and outcomes, including progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, transient or progressive nephropathy, and cancer. The variable character and unpredictable outcomes of infection attest to large gaps in our basic understanding of PyV biology. In particular, the rich history of research demonstrating the oncogenic potential of PyVs in laboratory animals begs the question of why cancer is not more often associated with infection. Raccoon polyomavirus (RacPyV), discovered in 2010, is consistently identified in neuroglial tumors in free-ranging raccoons in the western United States. Exposure to RacPyV is widespread, and RacPyV is detected in tissues of raccoons without tumors. Studying the relationship of RacPyV with its natural host is a unique opportunity to uncover cogent cellular targets and protein interactions between the virus and its host. Our hypothesis is that RacPyV, as an intact episome, alters cellular pathways within neural progenitor cells and drives oncogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Patricia A. Pesavento, DVM, PhD, is a professor, Terza Brostoff, is a graduate and veterinary student, Molly E. Church, MS, VMD, is a graduate student, Florante N. Dela Cruz Jr., BS, is a staff research associate, and Kevin D. Woolard, DVM, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, Davis.
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Pesavento
authors.affiliation: Patricia A. Pesavento, DVM, PhD, is a professor, Terza Brostoff, is a graduate and veterinary student, Molly E. Church, MS, VMD, is a graduate student, Florante N. Dela Cruz Jr., BS, is a staff research associate, and Kevin D. Woolard, DVM, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, Davis.
authors.forename: Terza
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brostoff
authors.affiliation: Patricia A. Pesavento, DVM, PhD, is a professor, Terza Brostoff, is a graduate and veterinary student, Molly E. Church, MS, VMD, is a graduate student, Florante N. Dela Cruz Jr., BS, is a staff research associate, and Kevin D. Woolard, DVM, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, Davis.
authors.forename: Molly E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Church
authors.affiliation: Patricia A. Pesavento, DVM, PhD, is a professor, Terza Brostoff, is a graduate and veterinary student, Molly E. Church, MS, VMD, is a graduate student, Florante N. Dela Cruz Jr., BS, is a staff research associate, and Kevin D. Woolard, DVM, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, Davis.
authors.forename: Florante N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Dela Cruz
authors.affiliation: Patricia A. Pesavento, DVM, PhD, is a professor, Terza Brostoff, is a graduate and veterinary student, Molly E. Church, MS, VMD, is a graduate student, Florante N. Dela Cruz Jr., BS, is a staff research associate, and Kevin D. Woolard, DVM, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, Davis.
authors.forename: Kevin D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Woolard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D063646:Carcinogenesis / Q000473:pathology; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D009423:Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000473:pathology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D010957:Plasmids; D011120:Polyomavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D011821:Raccoons / Q000821:virology*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral
keywords: brain tumor; large t antigen; oncogenesis; polyomavirus; raccoon; tumorigenesis; virus; wildlife