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Parra LM, Sartori BGC, Fernandes DR, Fachin LRV, Nogueira MRS, Belone AFF, Nunes AJF, Souza-Santana FC. HLA-G expression in Merkel cell carcinoma and the correlation with Merkel cell polyomavirus infection. Immunogenetics 2023; 75:81-89. [PMID: 36229691 DOI: 10.1007/s00251-022-01279-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare aggressive neuroendocrine cutaneous carcinoma with a high mortality rate. The MCC etiology is not fully understood. Merkel cell-associated polyomavirus (MCPyV) was found in MCC patients, indicating a risk factor for the tumor. Caucasian, elderly, and immunocompromised individuals are more likely to develop this tumor. HLA-G consists of a non-classical class I (Ib) HLA molecule with an immunoregulatory function and was associated with tumor escape in different types of tumors, nonetheless, never been studied in MCC. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the HLA-G expression and also to detect the MCPyV in MCC patients and correlate it with the clinical course of the disease. Forty-five MCC patients were included in a retrospective study. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded cutaneous skin biopsies were used by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR to verify the HLA-G expression and MCPyV infection. HLA-G expression was found in 7 (15.6%), while the presence of MCPyV was detected in 28 (62.2%) of the studied patients. No significant association was found between HLA-G expression and MCPyV infection (p = 0.250). The presence of MCPyV was associated with areas of low sunlight exposure (p = 0.042) and the HLA-G expression with progression to death (p = 0.038). HLA-G expression was detected in MCC patients, as well as the MCPyV presence was confirmed. These markers could represent factors with a possible impact on patient survival; however, further studies with a greater number of patients are needed, to better elucidate the possible role in disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- L M Parra
- Clinical Laboratory, Amaral Carvalho Hospital-Jaú, Dona Silvéria, 150 - Chácara Braz Miraglia, São Paulo, 17210-070, Brazil.
| | - B G C Sartori
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, Lauro de Souza Lima Institute, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - D R Fernandes
- Pathological Anatomy Laboratory, Lauro de Souza Lima Institute, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - L R V Fachin
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, Lauro de Souza Lima Institute, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - M R S Nogueira
- Biology Laboratory, Lauro de Souza Lima Institute, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - A F F Belone
- Pathological Anatomy Laboratory, Lauro de Souza Lima Institute, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - A J F Nunes
- Pathological Anatomy Laboratory, Lauro de Souza Lima Institute, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil
- Pathological Anatomy Department, Amaral Carvalho Hospital, Jaú, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - F C Souza-Santana
- Immunology Laboratory, Lauro de Souza Lima Institute, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil
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