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Immunologic evidence of a strong association between non‐ H odgkin lymphoma and simian virus 40
Author(s) -
Tog Mauro,
Luppi Mario,
Corallini Alfredo,
Taronna Angelo,
Barozzi Patrizia,
Rotondo John Charles,
Comar Manola,
Casali Maria Vittoria,
Bovenzi Massimo,
D'Agostino Antonio,
Vinante Fabrizio,
Rigo Antonella,
Ferrarini Isacco,
BarbantiBrodano Giuseppe,
Martini Fernanda,
Mazzoni Elisa
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/cncr.29404
Subject(s) - medicine , lymphoma , etiology , malignancy , cancer , antibody , nasopharyngeal carcinoma , virus , antigen , immunology , gastroenterology , radiation therapy
BACKGROUND Non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), the most common cancer of the lymphatic system, is of unknown etiology. The identification of etiologic factors in the onset of NHL is a key event that could facilitate the prevention and cure of this malignancy. Simian virus 40 (SV40) has been considered an oncogenic agent in the onset/progression of NHL. METHODS In this study, an indirect enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay with 2 synthetic peptides that mimic SV40 antigens of viral capsid proteins 1 to 3 was employed to detect specific antibodies against SV40. Serum samples were taken from 2 distinct cohorts of NHL‐affected patients (NHL1 [n = 89] and NHL2 [n = 61]) along with controls represented by oncologic patients affected by breast cancer (BC; n = 78) and undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (UNPC; n = 64) and 3 different cohorts of healthy subjects (HSs; HS1 [n = 130], HS2 [n = 83], and HS3 [n = 87]). RESULTS Immunologic data indicated that in serum samples from NHL patients, antibodies against SV40 mimotopes were detectable with a prevalence of 40% in NHL1 patients and with a prevalence of 43% in NHL2 patients. In HSs of the same median age as NHL patients, the prevalence was 16% for the HS1 group (57 years) and 14% for the HS2 group (65 years). The difference was statistically significant ( P < .0001 and P < .001). Interestingly, the difference between NHL1/NHL2 patients and BC patients (40%/43% vs 15%, P < .001) and between NHL1/NHL2 patients and UNPC patients (40%/43% vs 25%, P < .05) was significant. CONCLUSIONS Our data indicate a strong association between NHL and SV40 and thus a need for innovative therapeutic approaches for this hematologic malignancy. Cancer 2015;121:2618–2626 . © 2015 American Cancer Society .