Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV) T-antigen seroreactivity, MCV DNA in eyebrow hairs, and squamous cell carcinoma.

Shalaka S Hampras,Angelika Michel,Michael Pawlita,Kate Fisher,Tim Waterboer,Vernon K Sondak,Tarik Gheit,Markus Schmitt,Basil Cherpelis,Jane Messina,Massimo Tommasino,Lena Kranz,Neil Fenske,Dana E Rollison

doi:10.1186/s13027-015-0030-0

Abstract

BackgroundThe role of Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV) infection in the etiology of non-melanoma skin cancers, other than Merkel cell carcinoma, is unclear. Previously, we reported a significant association between seropositivity to MCV capsid antigen and MCV DNA-positive cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Here we present associations between SCC and seroreactivity to MCV T-antigen (T-Ag) oncoprotein, as well as MCV DNA detected in eyebrow hairs.FindingsA clinic-based case–control study, including 171 SCC cases and 300 controls without skin cancer, was conducted at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. Multiplex assays were used to measure serum antibodies against MCV small and large T-Ag and MCV DNA in both eyebrow hairs and SCC tumors (n = 144). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using logistic regression to evaluate the associations between MCV and SCC. No significant association was observed between seroreactivity to MCV full-length large or small T-Ag and SCC, overall [ORlarge T-Ag = 0.99 (0.48-2.08), ORsmall T-Ag = 0.31 (0.06–1.62)] or when comparing tumor MCV DNA-positive cases to controls [ORlarge T-Ag = 1.06 (0.38–2.93)]. Only presence of MCV DNA in eyebrow hairs was significantly associated with MCV DNA-positive SCC [OR = 4.05 (2.01–8.18)].ConclusionMCV infection is unlikely to play a direct role in SCC.

Highlights

The role of Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV) infection in the etiology of non-melanoma skin cancers, other than Merkel cell carcinoma, is unclear
Since serological response to MCV antigens may represent current and past infection and can possibly be affected by host factors associated with immune response, we examined the association between MCV DNA present in eyebrow hairs and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)
Data on both MCV T-Ag serology and MCV tumor DNA were available from 144 SCC cases, while data on MCV DNA in eyebrow hair and MCV DNA in SCC tumor were available from 141 SCC cases

Summary

Introduction

While Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV) DNA has been consistently detected in more than 80 % of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) [1,2,3], the role of MCV in the development of other non-melanoma skin cancers, such as cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), is not established. In our previous case–control study, MCV DNA was detected in 38 % of 145 SCC tumor tissues and significant association between seropositivity to MCV capsid antigen (VP1) and MCV DNA-positive SCC was observed [11]. While the oncogenic role of MCV T-Ag has been established in MCC [13, 14], SCC tumors lack the tumor promoting mutations in large T-Ag observed in MCC [7]. Previous studies examining the role of MCV in SCC were limited by small sample size and only examined either MCV large T-Ag or VP1 protein sequence/expression in SCC [4, 7, 8, 6, 9]. Since serological response to MCV antigens may represent current and past infection and can possibly be affected by host factors associated with immune response, we examined the association between MCV DNA present in eyebrow hairs and SCC

Materials and methods

Results

Discussion