Detection of JC and BK polyomaviruses in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) by PCR

ABSTRACT

Background

Overall, 20–30% of all cancers are estimated to be linked to infectious agents. Polyomaviruses are oncogenic cause in rodent models, readily transform their cells, and cause chromosomal instability in animal and human cells in-vitro. Some reports have indicated the presence of JCPyV and BKPyV in some human tumors. The JCPyV and BKPyV genome encodes some transforming proteins such as LT-Ag. Thus, these viruses could cause or promote some neoplasia, such as lymphomas, pancreatic, prostate, and colorectal cancers. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in the world. Risk factors for developing CRC are associated with personal features or habits, such as age, lifestyle, and gut microbiota.

Materials and Methods

In this study, we examined the prevalence of JCPyV and BKPyV in the 23 fecal samples of CRC patients and 24 healthy samples (control group). Virus DNA was extracted by a Favorgen DNA extraction kit. The large T antigen of JCPyV and VP1 of BKPyV were investigated by optimized multiplex PCR.

Results

One of the samples was positive for the JCPyV (4.3%), while in the samples of healthy individuals, the JCPyV was negative. Also, positive results for BKPyV PCR were obtained for five cases (21.7%) in the samples of the CRC group and one case (4.1%) in healthy individuals.

Conclusion

The result showed no direct correlation between tumorigenesis and polyomavirus infections in CRC development. However, the exact role of BKPyV and JCPyV is still controversial and needs further study with larger sample size.

KEYWORDS:

• Colorectal cancer
• polyomavirus
• BKPyV
• JCPyV
• PCR

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the staff of Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran, Iran for their continuous cooperation and Tarbiat Modares university for their kind support. We are grateful to the patients for providing clinical samples.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study was performed as a part of a M.Sc. thesis in medical Virology and was supported by the grant (NO. Med-82742) from the Research Deputy of Tarbiat Modares University, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.