Detection of a novel truncating Merkel cell polyomavirus large T antigen deletion in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells

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BlankDetection of a novel truncating Merkel cell polyomavirus large T antigen

deletion in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells.

ND Pantulu, CP Pallasch, AK Kurz, A Kassem, L Frenzel, S Sodenkamp, HM

Kvasnicka, CM Wendtner, and A Zur Hausen

Blood, September 3, 2010; .

Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany;

Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is detected in approximately 80% of Merkel cell

carcinomas (MCC). Yet, clonal integration and truncating mutations of the Large

T antigen (LTAg) of MCPyV are restricted to MCC. We tested the presence and

mutations of MCPyV in highly purified leukemic cells of 70 chronic lymphocytic

leukemia (CLL) patients. MCPyV was detected in 27.1% (n=19) of these CLL cases.

In contrast, MCPyV was detected only in 13.4% of normal controls (p<0.036) in

which no LTAg mutations were found. Mutational analyses revealed a novel 246bp

LTAg deletion in the helicase gene in 6 of 19 MCPyV-positive CLL cases. Two CLL

cases revealed concomitant mutated and wildtype MCPyV. Immunohistochemistry

showed protein expression of the LTAg in MCPyV-positive CLL cases. The detection

of MCPyV, including LTAg deletions and LTAg expression in CLL cells argues for a

potential role of MCPyV in a significant subset of CLL cases.

PMID: 20817850