Investigators at Autonomous University Madrid Describe Findings in Merkel Cell Cancer [Lt and Sox9 Expression Are Associated With Gene Sets That Distinguish Merkel Cell Polyomavirus (Mcpyv)-positive and Mcpyv-negative Merkel Cell Carcinoma].

A recent study conducted by researchers at Autonomous University Madrid explored the differences between Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV)-positive and MCPyV-negative Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). The study found that MCPyV-positive MCCs have fewer DNA mutations and are not related to ultraviolet radiation (UVR), while MCPyV-negative MCCs typically arise in sun-exposed areas and may be found alongside other keratinocytic tumors. The expression of large T antigen (LT) was used to divide the patient series into two groups, and genes differentially expressed in LT-negative patients were associated with epithelial differentiation and proliferation. Additionally, LT-positive patients had a lower mutational burden compared to LT-negative patients. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the biological behaviors of MCPyV-positive and MCPyV-negative MCCs. [Extracted from the article]