Promoter activity of Merkel cell Polyomavirus variants in human dermal fibroblasts and a Merkel cell carcinoma cell line.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is a human polyomavirus that establishes a life-long harmless infection in most individuals, with dermal fibroblasts believed to be the natural host cell. However, this virus is the major cause of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), an aggressive skin cancer. Several MCPyV variants with polymorphism in their promoter region have been isolated, but it is not known whether these differences affect the biological properties of the virus.

Methods

Using transient transfection studies in human dermal fibroblasts and the MCC cell line MCC13, we compared the transcription activity of the early and late promoters of the most commonly described non-coding control region MCPyV variant and six other isolates containing specific mutation patterns.

SUBMITTER: Abdulsalam I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7168875 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature