Low frequency of BK virus in prostatic adenocarcinomas

Abstract

BK virus (BKV) exhibits many oncogenic properties and has been associated with a variety of tumors in humans. BKV has not been well studied in the context of prostate neoplasia; however, an association of BKV with prostatic adenocarcinoma has been suggested based on the detection of viral DNA sequences and expression of viral proteins in clinical samples. To further investigate the reported association of BKV with prostatic adenocarcinoma and the potential role of the virus in prostate tumorigenesis, 30 cases of adenocarcinoma of the prostate were analyzed for evidence of BKV infection by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. In situ hybridization analysis detected BKV DNA in 2 of 30 (7%) prostatic adenocarcinomas, with positive signals focally identified in less than 1% of the neoplastic cells in both cases. However, none of the tumors evaluated demonstrated evidence of BKV large tumor antigen expression by immunohistochemistry. Among prostatic adenocarcinomas that showed no evidence of BKV infection, BKV DNA was focally observed in the adjacent non-neoplastic prostate tissue in four cases by in situ hybridization in the absence of BKV large tumor antigen immunoreactivity. The findings of the present study indicate rare cases of prostatic adenocarcinoma may be associated with BKV infection. However, lack of localization of BKV to a large population of the neoplastic cells and absence of BKV large tumor antigen expression suggest that the virus does not play a role in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer.

BK Virus as a Cofactor in the Etiology of Prostate Cancer in Its Early Stages

“…Zambrano et al demonstrated the presence of BKV DNA in 3/12 prostate specimens by utilizing PCR (94), and Lau et al detected BKV DNA in tumor cells in 2/30 prostate specimens using ISH (43). Our previous study, however, was the first to demonstrate the presence of both viral DNA and oncoprotein expression in PIA lesions of neoplastic prostates (17).…”

“…There are two additional reports on the presence of BKV DNA in prostate carcinomas (43,94). Zambrano et al demonstrated the presence of BKV DNA in 3/12 prostate specimens by utilizing PCR (94), and Lau et al detected BKV DNA in tumor cells in 2/30 prostate specimens using ISH (43).…”

Evolution of the BK polyomavirus: epidemiological, anthropological and clinical implications

“…On the basis of these findings, it has been proposed that BKV may be involved in the development of various cancers in humans [75][76][77] and recently Das et al hypothesized that BKV acts as a cofactor in the development of prostate cancer [78,79]. However, the two reports that attempted to confirm these findings based on histochemistry and in situ hybridisation are contradictory [80,81].…”

A Potential Linkage Between the JC and BK Polyomaviruses and Brain and Urinary Tract Tumors: A Review of the Literature

“…While they did not observe T Ag expression by IHC in any of their samples, ISH revealed the presence of BKV DNA in four non-neoplastic, two neoplastic and one PIN tissues. 92 There are also negative reports regarding the potential association between BKV and prostate cancer in the literature. Using nested PCR, Sfanos et al analyzed a total of 338 samples from 200 patients and found only one sample positive for BKV; 93 Akgul and colleagues detected the BKV genome in one out of 85 PCA analyzed tissue samples; 94 Bergh and colleagues did not amplify the BKV genome in either 171 prostate cancer tissues nor in 181 control tissues.…”