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Serum Antibodies Against the Oncogenic Merkel Cell Polyomavirus Detected by an Innovative Immunological Assay With Mimotopes in Healthy Subjects

Authors :
Chiara Mazziotta
Carmen Lanzillotti
Elena Torreggiani
Lucia Oton-Gonzalez
Maria Rosa Iaquinta
Elisa Mazzoni
Pauline Gaboriaud
Antoine Touzé
Ettore Silvagni
Marcello Govoni
Fernanda Martini
Mauro Tognon
John Charles Rotondo
Source :
Frontiers in Immunology, Vol 12 (2021)
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
Frontiers Media S.A., 2021.

Abstract

Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), a small DNA tumor virus, has been detected in Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) and in normal tissues. Since MCPyV infection occurs in both MCC-affected patients and healthy subjects (HS), innovative immunoassays for detecting antibodies (abs) against MCPyV are required. Herein, sera from HS were analyzed with a novel indirect ELISA using two synthetic peptides mimicking MCPyV capsid protein epitopes of VP1 and VP2. Synthetic peptides were designed to recognize IgGs against MCPyV VP mimotopes using a computer-assisted approach. The assay was set up evaluating its performance in detecting IgGs anti-MCPyV on MCPyV-positive (n=65) and -negative (n=67) control sera. Then, the ELISA was extended to sera (n=548) from HS aged 18-65 yrs old. Age-specific MCPyV-seroprevalence was investigated. Performance evaluation indicated that the assay showed 80% sensitivity, 91% specificity and 83.9% accuracy, with positive and negative predictive values of 94.3% and 71%, respectively. The ratio expected/obtained data agreement was 86%, with a Cohen’s kappa of 0.72. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves analysis indicated that the areas under the curves (AUCs) for the two peptides were 0.82 and 0.74, respectively. Intra-/inter-run variations were below 9%. The overall prevalence of serum IgGs anti-MCPyV in HS was 62.9% (345/548). Age-specific MCPyV-seroprevalence was 63.1% (82/130), 56.7% (68/120), 64.5% (91/141), and 66.2% (104/157) in HS aged 18-30, 31-40, 41-50 and 51-65 yrs old, respectively (p>0.05). Performance evaluation suggests that our indirect ELISA is reliable in detecting IgGs anti-MCPyV. Our immunological data indicate that MCPyV infection occurs asymptomatically, at a relatively high prevalence, in humans.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
16643224 and 80561772
Volume :
12
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Frontiers in Immunology
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.fbe638d1467940b8a80561772cf057c1
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.676627