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Frequent biological association of Merkel cell polyomavirus with Merkel cell carcinomas

#69

Introduction: Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) DNA has been detected by PCR in 75–100% of Merkel cell carcinomas (MCC), an aggressive neuroendocrine skin cancer. MCPyV is a 5.4 kb DNA virus that expresses tumor (T) antigen in tumor tissues.

Aim(s): To analyze which subset of MCC is biologically associated with MCPyV using various viral detection methods.

Materials and methods: Genomic DNA isolated from paraffin-embedded tissue of 61 MCC was analyzed by MCPyV-specific PCR. Using a 5kb MCPyV DNA probe, the physical status of MCPyV was determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using tyramide signal amplification and ApoTome microscopy. Expression of large T antigen was assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) using monoclonal antibody CM2B4 (kindly provided by Y. Chang).

Conference: 7th Annual ENETSConcerence (2010)

Presenting Author: Speel E

Authors: Speel E, Schmidt A, Baumann M, Haesevoets A, Diebold J,

Keywords: Merkel cell polyoma virus, Merkel cell carcinoma, neuroendocrine skin cancer, FISH, large T antigen,

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