469 Comparative analysis of cutaneous human polyomaviruses reveals non-canonical NF-kB pathway as a key mediator of PD-L1 and Merkel Cell Polyomavirus small T antigen

Human Polyomaviruses (HPyVs) frequently cause asymptomatic infections in healthy individuals. In rare cases, the Merkel Cell Polyomavirus (MCPyV) contributes to the development of a rare but deadly skin cancer, Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC). Why MCPyV promotes tumorigensis while other cutaneous polyomaviruses, like HPyV6 and HPyV7, do not, remains unclear. Here, we describe the functional differences between the small T antigens (ST) of these three cutaneous polyomaviruses. Lentiviral expression of the HPyV6, HPyV7 and MCPyV small T antigens in primary dermal fibroblasts revealed that both HPyV6 and HPyV7 ST induce cellular senescence, whereas MCPyV small T antigen does not.
Source: Journal of Investigative Dermatology - Category: Dermatology Authors: Tags: Innate Immunity, Microbiology, and Microbiome Source Type: research