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Quantitative detection of Merkel cell virus in human tissues and possible mode of transmission
Author(s) -
Loyo Myriam,
GuerreroPreston Rafael,
Brait Mariana,
Hoque Mohmammad O.,
Chuang Alice,
Kim Myoung S.,
Sharma Rajni,
Liégeois Nanette J.,
Koch Wayne M.,
Califano Joseph A.,
Westra William H.,
Sidransky David
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.24737
Subject(s) - merkel cell polyomavirus , merkel cell carcinoma , biology , merkel cell , virus , pathology , genitourinary system , saliva , carcinoma , virology , medicine , anatomy , biochemistry
Merkel Cell Virus (MCV) is a newly discovered polyomavirus, recently found in a rare skin cancer, Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). However, MCV has also been detected in some normal tissue samples. We tested and compared the relative quantity of the MCV in a set of diverse human tissue samples with the MCC samples. The levels of MCV in MCCs were over 60 times higher than the highest values in all other tissues. Low quantities of MCV were detected in diverse tissue samples independently of malignant or benign histologic status. Higher levels of the virus were found in the upper aerodigestive tract, digestive system, and saliva compared to the lung and genitourinary system samples. These results confirm that MCV is widespread in the human body and suggest a possible fecal‐oral transmission route similar to the Hepatitis A virus. Despite widespread presence of the virus, it appears that only neuroendocrine skin cells are susceptible to transformation by MCV.