title: Frequent detection of human polyomavirus 6 in keratoacanthomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The recent discovery of the Merkel cell polyomavirus and its consistent association with Merkel cell carcinoma has drawn attention to the numerous recently discovered polyomaviruses and their possible involvement in the etiopathogenesis of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). Data on the recently discovered human polyomavirus 6 (HPyV6) and its role in NMSC are sparse and in part controversial.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present study we tested a large number (n = 299) of NMSC specimens for the presence of human polyomavirus 6 (HPyV6) by DNA PCR and HPyV6 fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). In detail, 59 keratoacanthomas (KA), 109 basal cell carcinomas (BCC), 86 squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) and 45 trichoblastomas (TB) were tested for the presence of HPyV6.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HPyV6 DNA PCR and subsequent sequence analysis revealed that 25 KAs (42.3 %), 23 BCCs (21.1 %), 8 SCCs (9.3 %) and 10 TBs (22.2 %) were HPyV6 positive. The presence of HPyV6 DNA was visualized and validated on the single cell level within the histomorphological context by HPyV6 fluorescence in situ hybridization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high frequency of HPyV6 DNA in 42.3 % of KA possibly points to a role for HPyV6 in the etiopathogenesis of KAs. Although the detection rate of HPyV6 DNA in BCCs and TBs is within the previously reported detection range in normal skin, it does not exclude a possible role for HPyV6 in the carcinogenesis in a significant subset of these skin tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, GROW-School for Oncology & Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beckervordersandforth
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, GROW-School for Oncology & Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sreedhar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pujari
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, GROW-School for Oncology & Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Dorit
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rennspiess
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, GROW-School for Oncology & Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ernst Jan M
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Speel
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, GROW-School for Oncology & Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Winnepenninckx
authors.affiliation: Center for Dermatopathology, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.affiliation: Center for Dermatopathology, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Weyers
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, GROW-School for Oncology & Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anke Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Haugg
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik IV, Universitätsklinikum Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Anna Kordelia
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Kurz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, GROW-School for Oncology & Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ, Maastricht, The Netherlands. axel.zurhausen@mumc.nl.
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zur Hausen
mesh_terms: D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000821:virology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000821:virology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D007636:Keratoacanthoma / Q000821:virology*; D059965:Merkel cell polyomavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011120:Polyomavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral
keywords: FISH; Fluorescence in situ hybridization; HPyV6; Human Polyomavirus 6; Keratoacanthoma; Non melanoma skin cancer