Search

Summary: Objective: Asbestos is considered the main agent in causing the onset of the malignant pleural mesothelioma (MM), a fatal cancer of increasing incidence worldwide. Other factors may contribute to the onset/progression of MM, such as genetic predisposition and infection by oncogenic viruses, like simian virus 40 (SV40). SV40 was administered to human populations mainly with SV40-contaminated anti-polio vaccines. SV40 footprints have been detected in specific human tumours, including MM, and in healthy blood donors. The aim of this study was to verify the presence of SV40 sequences in buffy coats of healthy blood donors, inhabitants of Casale Monferrato, where MM is 10 times more prevalent compared to other areas. Methods: DNA from 148 buffy coats of healthy blood donors were qualitatively and quantitatively PCR analyzed for SV40 sequences. Results: SV40 sequences were detected in 24 out of 148 (16%) samples. Quantitative real time PCR analyses carried out in SV40-positive samples indicated a viral copy number in the range of 10–10,000 per 100,000 cells. Conclusions: SV40 sequences are present in blood samples of healthy donors from Casale Monferrato with a prevalence similar to that reported in previous investigations of healthy donors from asbestos-free areas. Altogether these data suggest that SV40 is circulating in the human population. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article is a review of a series of three studies that proved the involvement of osteopontin as a prognostic marker in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) cancers. The approach used involved synthesizing and analysing the three articles. The first proves the utilization of osteopontin and mesothelin for diagnostic and prognostic assessment of MPM in patients previously exposed to asbestos and those with pleural metastasis. The second proves that immunohistochemical analysis identified osteopontin to have a prognostic role from its expression in MPM. The third uses the specificity and sensitivity of serum osteopontin to distinguish patients with plueral mesothelioma from subjects with asbestos-related non-malignant diseases. Overall, these remarkable findings are important for understanding of expression of osteopontin in malignant mesothelial cells and in patients with MPM. The use of osteopontin as a prognostic marker in MPM is promising and such fine molecular studies certainly help in bringing osteopontin closer to clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]