Differential patterns of large tumor antigen-specific immune responsiveness in patients with BK polyomavirus-positive prostate cancer or benign prostatic hyperplasia.

ABSTRACT: The role of the polyomavirus BK (BKV) large tumor antigen (L-Tag) as a target of immune response in patients with prostate cancer (PCa) has not been investigated thus far. In this study, we comparatively analyzed humoral and cellular L-Tag-specific responsiveness in age-matched patients bearing PCa or benign prostatic hyperplasia, expressing or not expressing BKV L-Tag-specific sequences in their tissue specimens, and in non-age-matched healthy individuals. Furthermore, results from patients with PCa were correlated to 5-year follow-up clinical data focusing on evidence of biochemical recurrence (BR) after surgery (prostate specific antigen level of ≥0.2 ng/ml). In peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients with PCa with evidence of BR and BKV L-Tag-positive tumors, stimulatio

SUBMITTER: Sais G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3421724 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature