HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Supplementary table and figure Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Nafz, J. Articles by Rösl, F. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Nafz, J. Articles by Rösl, F. Agricola Articles by Nafz, J. Articles by Rösl, F.

Persistence of Mastomys natalensis papillomavirus in multiple organs identifies novel targets for infection

Julia Nafz^1,

Anja Köhler^2,

¹ Forschungsschwerpunkt Angewandte Tumorvirologie, Abteilung Virale Transformationsmechanismen, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
² Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergy, Charité, Skin Cancer Center Charité, University Hospital, Berlin, Germany

Correspondence
Frank Rösl
F.Roesl{at}DKFZ.de

The high incidence of multiple wart formation and skin cancer in organ-transplant recipients, as well as the question of an involvement of papillomaviruses in a variety of human cancers, require a model system for papillomavirus infections in immunocompetent animals. Such an in vivo model is represented by the multimammate rat Mastomys coucha, which is infected with Mastomys natalensis papillomavirus (MnPV). MnPV primarily induces benign skin tumours, such as papillomas and keratoacanthomas. Here, the incidence of MnPV infections in different skin areas and various organs is described. In situ hybridization showed that hair follicle cells were positive for viral DNA and that the amount of MnPV in normal skin may be considered a predictor for the development of skin tumours. MnPV infection is not restricted to the skin, but can also be detected in inner organs. As the blood and the lymphatic system were temporarily also found to be virus-positive, a haematogenic propagation of MnPV can be assumed. However, MnPV is apparently not transmitted through the germ line, as fetuses and newborns lack viral DNA, despite infection of their mothers. In conclusion, M. coucha is not only useful to study papillomavirus-induced skin carcinogenesis, but may also serve as a model to identify additional, still unknown target cells of papillomavirus infections and the potential pathological impact.

These authors contributed equally to this work.

A supplementary figure showing the results of quantitative real-time PCR to determine MnPV DNA load and a supplementary table showing the actual number of animals used for PCR and Southern blot analysis and percentage positivity are available with the online version of this paper.