@article {7758, title = {MBL2 polymorphisms in women with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance.}, journal = {J Med Virol}, volume = {87}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 May}, pages = {851-9}, abstract = {

Infection with high risk Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main known cause of cervical cancer. HPV induces different grades of lesions: among them, Atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance are abnormal lesions that could evolve in pre-cancer lesions or spontaneously regress. The mannose binding lectin (MBL) is an innate immunity serum protein also found in cervico-vaginal mucosa, whose expression is known to be affected by polymorphisms in exon 1 and promoter of the MBL2 gene. In the present study the possible association between MBL2 functional polymorphisms and susceptibility to develop atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance was investigated in a group of women from North-East of Italy, stratified for HPV infection status. The MBL2 D and O alleles and the deficient producer combined genotypes, responsible for low MBL production, were more represented among atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance positive women than healthy controls and the results were confirmed when only HPV negative samples were considered. These results suggest a possible involvement of MBL2 functional polymorphisms in atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance susceptibility.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Atypical Squamous Cells of the Cervix, Female, Gene Frequency, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Humans, Italy, Mannose-Binding Lectin, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Young Adult}, issn = {1096-9071}, doi = {10.1002/jmv.24080}, author = {Zupin, Luisa and Polesello, Vania and Casalicchio, Giorgia and Freato, Nadia and Maestri, Iva and Comar, Manola and Crovella, Sergio and Segat, Ludovica} } @article {1975, title = {Merkel-cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is rarely associated to B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (1 out of 50) samples and occurs late in the natural history of the disease.}, journal = {J Clin Virol}, volume = {55}, year = {2012}, month = {2012 Dec}, pages = {367-9}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported conflicting results on the frequency and potential pathogenetic role of Merkel-cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) in B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL).

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association of MCPyV to B-CLL and to investigate the occurrence of MCPyV infection in relationship to the natural history of B-CLL.

STUDY DESIGN: Samples of primary B-CLL peripheral blood mononuclear cells were obtained from two distinct University Hospitals of Italy from January 2010. For one B-CLL patient, it was possible to retrospectively examine the blood sample at diagnosis of B-CLL (March 2004) and several pathological tissues of cutaneous tumors occurring during the course of the disease.

RESULTS: Only one out of 50 B-CLL blood samples examined was positive for MCPyV DNA. Retrospective analysis revealed that MCPyV DNA was absent in peripheral blood sample at diagnosis, becoming present only in advanced disease stages also in tonsil tissue as well as in a biopsy of differentiated squamous cell carcinoma.

CONCLUSIONS: The association with MCPyV seems to represent a rare and late event during the natural history of B-CLL.

}, keywords = {Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Blood, Female, Humans, Italy, Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell, Male, Merkel cell polyomavirus, Middle Aged, Palatine Tonsil, Polyomavirus Infections, Prevalence, Skin, Tumor Virus Infections}, issn = {1873-5967}, doi = {10.1016/j.jcv.2012.08.011}, author = {Comar, Manola and Cuneo, Antonio and Maestri, Iva and Melloni, Elisabetta and Pozzato, Gabriele and Soffritti, Olga and Secchiero, Paola and Zauli, Giorgio} }