High incidence of bk virus large‐T‐antigen‐coding sequences in normal human tissues and tumors of different histotypes

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Abstract
T‐antigen (TAg) coding sequences specific for BK virus (BKV) were detected, by PCR amplification followed by Southern‐blot hybridization, in a high percentage of human tumors and tumor‐cell lines, as well as in normal tissues, by analysis of 189 specimens. Specifically, the BKV early region was detected in 85% of brain tumors and in all normal brain tissues, in 78% of osteosarcomas, in 38% of Ewing's tumors, in 40% of normal bone specimens and in 71% of normal peripheral blood cell samples. Wilms' tumor tissues used as a control were all negative for BKV sequences. RT‐PCR analysis indicated that TAg coding sequences were expressed in specimens carrying BKV early region, ranging from 64% of the osteosarcomas to 100% of glioblastomas, Ewing's tumors, peripheral blood cells and normal bone. Moreover, DNA sequencing performed in 12 different positive samples revealed that the amplified PCR products are identical to the early‐region sequence of wild‐type BKV. The role of BKV TAg and its possible mechanism of action in human tumorigenesis are discussed. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.