Detection of Merkel Cell Polyomavirus DNA in Serum Samples of Healthy Blood Donors

Abstract

Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) has been detected in 80% of Merkel cell carcinomas (MCC). In the host, the MCPyV reservoir remains elusive. MCPyV DNA sequences were revealed in blood donor buffy coats. In this study, MCPyV DNA sequences were investigated in the sera (n = 190) of healthy blood donors. Two MCPyV DNA sequences, coding for the viral oncoprotein large T antigen (LT), were investigated using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods and DNA sequencing. Circulating MCPyV sequences were detected in sera with a prevalence of 2.6% (5/190), at low-DNA viral load, which is in the range of 1–4 and 1–5 copies/μl by real-time PCR and droplet digital PCR, respectively. DNA sequencing carried out in the five MCPyV-positive samples indicated that the two MCPyV LT sequences which were analyzed belong to the MKL-1 strain. Circulating MCPyV LT sequences are present in blood donor sera. MCPyV-positive samples from blood donors could represent a potential vehicle for MCPyV infection in receivers, whereas an increase in viral load may occur with multiple blood transfusions. In certain patient conditions, such as immune-depression/suppression, additional disease or old age, transfusion of MCPyV-positive samples could be an additional risk factor for MCC onset.

Prevalence of DNA of fourteen human polyomaviruses determined in blood donors

“…MC polyomavirus was detected in 3.8% of serum samples in our study, which is comparable to findings in other studies. For example, a study of 190 blood donors reported MCPyV in 2.6% of sera and another study of 621 sera from 394 elderly hospitalized patients older than 65 years of age found a prevalence of 9.9% for MCPyV, which suggests that the prevalence may increase with age. MCPyV has been detected in other blood compartments, for example, in 22% of buffy coats from blood donors .…”

Hydroxylapatite-collagen hybrid scaffold induces human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells to osteogenic differentiation in vitro and bone regrowth in patients

“…RNA was quantified by using a Nanodrop spectrophotometer (ND‐1000; NanoDrop Technologies, Wilmington, Delaware) . The Human Osteogenesis RT 2 Profiler PCR Array (Qiagen) was used as described . Specific primers sets used in real‐time PCRs were used to analyze the expression of 84 genes involved in different pathways, such as osteogenic differentiation, cartilage condensation, ossification, bone metabolism, bone mineralization, binding to Ca 2+ and homeostasis, extracellular matrix (ECM) protease inhibitors, adhesion molecules, cell‐to‐cell adhesion, adhesion molecules of the ECM, and growth factors.…”

“…17,21 The Human Osteogenesis RT 2 Profiler PCR Array (Qiagen) was used as described. 17,22 Specific primers sets used in real-time PCRs were used to analyze the expression of 84 genes involved in different pathways, such as osteogenic differentiation, cartilage condensation, ossification, bone metabolism, bone mineralization, binding to Ca 2+ and homeostasis, extracellular matrix (ECM) protease inhibitors, adhesion molecules, cell-to-cell adhesion, adhesion molecules of the ECM, and growth factors. For data analysis, the fold change (FC) of each gene expression was calculated by using the 2 −ΔΔCt method, whereas housekeeping genes, used as controls, were used to normalize results and Log 2 FC; <1 or >1 was considered significant.…”

The Biology and Clinical Features of Cutaneous Polyomaviruses

“…Serologic studies indicate that exposure to MCPyV is widespread (DeCaprio, 2017;van der Meijden et al, 2011). Viral DNA is present in 2.6% of healthy blood donors (Mazzoni et al, 2017). Primary exposure to MCPyV begins in childhood after a period of immunity from maternal antibodies (Martel-Jantin et al, 2013;Nicol et al, 2013).…”