%0 Journal Article %J Cancer %D 2015 %T Immunologic evidence of a strong association between non-Hodgkin lymphoma and simian virus 40. %A Tognon, Mauro %A Luppi, Mario %A Corallini, Alfredo %A Taronna, Angelo %A Barozzi, Patrizia %A Rotondo, John Charles %A Comar, Manola %A Casali, Maria Vittoria %A Bovenzi, Massimo %A D'Agostino, Antonio %A Vinante, Fabrizio %A Rigo, Antonella %A Ferrarini, Isacco %A Barbanti-Brodano, Giuseppe %A Martini, Fernanda %A Mazzoni, Elisa %K Adult %K Aged %K Antibodies, Viral %K Capsid Proteins %K Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay %K Female %K Humans %K Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin %K Male %K Middle Aged %K Polyomavirus Infections %K Seroepidemiologic Studies %K Simian virus 40 %K Tumor Virus Infections %X

BACKGROUND: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), the most common cancer of the lymphatic system, is of unknown etiology. The identification of etiologic factors in the onset of NHL is a key event that could facilitate the prevention and cure of this malignancy. Simian virus 40 (SV40) has been considered an oncogenic agent in the onset/progression of NHL.

METHODS: In this study, an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with 2 synthetic peptides that mimic SV40 antigens of viral capsid proteins 1 to 3 was employed to detect specific antibodies against SV40. Serum samples were taken from 2 distinct cohorts of NHL-affected patients (NHL1 [n = 89] and NHL2 [n = 61]) along with controls represented by oncologic patients affected by breast cancer (BC; n = 78) and undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (UNPC; n = 64) and 3 different cohorts of healthy subjects (HSs; HS1 [n = 130], HS2 [n = 83], and HS3 [n = 87]).

RESULTS: Immunologic data indicated that in serum samples from NHL patients, antibodies against SV40 mimotopes were detectable with a prevalence of 40% in NHL1 patients and with a prevalence of 43% in NHL2 patients. In HSs of the same median age as NHL patients, the prevalence was 16% for the HS1 group (57 years) and 14% for the HS2 group (65 years). The difference was statistically significant (P < .0001 and P < .001). Interestingly, the difference between NHL1/NHL2 patients and BC patients (40%/43% vs 15%, P < .001) and between NHL1/NHL2 patients and UNPC patients (40%/43% vs 25%, P < .05) was significant.

CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate a strong association between NHL and SV40 and thus a need for innovative therapeutic approaches for this hematologic malignancy.

%B Cancer %V 121 %P 2618-26 %8 2015 Aug 1 %G eng %N 15 %1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25877010?dopt=Abstract %R 10.1002/cncr.29404