The differential presence of human polyomaviruses, JCPyV and BKPyV, in prostate cancer and benign prostate hypertrophy tissues

Chenghuang Shen,Menghsiao Meng,Chunliang Tung,Peilain Chen,Chunnun Chao,Yeongchin Jou,Deching Chang,Shupei Huang

doi:10.1186/s12885-021-08862-w

Abstract

BackgroundStudies have shown that human polyomavirus infection may be associated with various human cancers. We investigated the potential relationship between the prevalence of JCPyVor BKPyV and prostate cancer (PC) in patients from Taiwan.MethodsPatients with PC and benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH; 76 and 30 patients, respectively) were recruited for this study. Paraffin-embedded tissues and clinical information of the patients were obtained. The tissue sections were used for viral DNA detection and immunohistochemistry analysis was performed for examining viral large T (LT) and VP1 proteins. Regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between the clinical characteristics of the patients and the risk of JCPyV/BKPyV infection.ResultsThe prevalence of JCPyV/BKPyV DNA was different in PC and BPH tissues (27/76 [35.52%] and 2/30 [6.7%], respectively, p = 0.003)]. The LT and VP1 proteins were detected in 27 (35.52%) and 29 PC (38.2%) specimens, respectively, but neither protein was detected in BPH samples (p < 0.001). PC cells were more susceptible to JCPyV infection than BPH tissues [odds ratio (OR) 7.71, 95% CI: 1.71–34.09, p = 0.003). Patients with PC showing high levels of prostate-specific antigen and high Gleason scores were associated with a high risk of viral infection (ORs 1.1, 95% CI 1.000–1.003; p = 0.045 and ORs 6.18, 95% CI 1.26–30.33, p = 0.025, respectively). The expression of LT protein associated with the risk of PC increased 2923.39-fold (95% CI 51.19–166,963.62, p < 0.001).ConclusionsThe findings indicate that JCPyV infection in PC cells may be associated with prostate cancer progression and prognosis.Graphical abstract

Highlights

Studies have shown that human polyomavirus infection may be associated with various human cancers
Biomarkers are utilized for clinical diagnosis of patients with PC, which include blood-based prostate-specific antigen (PSA) [4], Prostate Health Index (PHI) [5], 4 K score [6]; urine-based- PCA3(prostate cancer gene 3) [7], SelectMDx(detection of HOXC6 and DLX1 mRNA levels) [8], ExoDx Prostate IntelliScore [9, 10]
Our results indicate that JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) and BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) DNA and protein are distributed differently within PC and benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH) tissues and that PC cells are more susceptible to JCPyV/BKPyV infection than benign tissues

Summary

Introduction

Studies have shown that human polyomavirus infection may be associated with various human cancers. Biomarkers are utilized for clinical diagnosis of patients with PC, which include blood-based prostate-specific antigen (PSA) [4], Prostate Health Index (PHI) [5], 4 K score (total PSA, free PSA, intact PSA, and human kallikreinrelated peptidase 2) [6]; urine-based- PCA3(prostate cancer gene 3) [7], SelectMDx(detection of HOXC6 and DLX1 mRNA levels) [8], ExoDx Prostate IntelliScore (liquid biopsy test indicated for men 50 years of age and older with a PSA 2–10 ng/mL, or PSA in the “gray zone”, considering an initial biopsy) [9, 10]. The Oncotype DX test (detection of 12 tumor-associated genes and 5 housekeeping genes) assesses high-risk patients with higher Gleason scores after prostate treatment [4, 12]. Viruses with tissue tropism that have been latent or proliferating in prostate tissue and the genitourinary tract for a long time have been implicated in the increase observed in the incidence of PC [20,21,22,23]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion