Detection of viral DNA sequences in human neuro-epithelial tumors

对象。JC病毒是一种人类嗜神经多瘤病毒，可引起进行性多灶性白质脑病，与猿猴病毒40密切相关。最近的几份报告表明，JC病毒与各种人类脑肿瘤的发展之间可能存在关联。作者检测了儿童原发性脑肿瘤患者中JC病毒DNA序列的存在，以评估JC病毒感染可能在儿童人群中引起特定脑肿瘤的假设。从62例脑肿瘤（髓母细胞瘤32例、室管膜瘤18例、脉络膜丛乳头状瘤5例、毛细胞星形细胞瘤7例）中分离基因组DNA序列，采用Southern blot杂交和直接测序方法分析JC病毒DNA的存在。在5例室管膜瘤和1例脉络膜丛乳头瘤中检测到JC病毒DNA序列。免疫组化研究显示在脉络膜丛乳头状瘤中有大t抗原的核表达。髓母细胞瘤和毛细胞星形细胞瘤均不含JC病毒dna。本研究结果为JC病毒与某些室管膜瘤和脉络膜丛乳头状瘤的发生之间的关系提供了分子证据。

Object. The JC virus is a human neurotropic polyomavirus that causes progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy and is closely related to simian virus 40. Several recent reports have indicated a possible association between the JC virus and the development of various human brain tumors. The authors examined the presence of JC virus DNA sequences in primary brain tumors in pediatric patients to evaluate the hypothesis that particular brain tumors can arise in the pediatric population as a consequence of infection with the JC virus.Methods. Genomic DNA sequences were isolated from 62 brain tumors (32 medulloblastomas, 18 ependymomas, five choroid plexus papillomas, and seven pilocytic astrocytomas) and analyzed for the presence of JC virus DNA by Southern blot hybridization and direct sequencing. The JC virus DNA sequence was detected in five ependymomas and one choroid plexus papilloma. Immunohistochemical studies revealed nuclear expression of the large T-antigen in a choroid plexus papilloma. None of the medulloblastomas or pilocytic astrocytomas contained JC virus DNA.Conclusions. The results of this study provide molecular evidence of the association between JC virus and the development of certain ependymomas and choroid plexus papillomas.