| Literature DB >> 28893943 |
James A DeCaprio1,2.
Abstract
Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) causes the highly aggressive and relatively rare skin cancer known as Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). MCPyV also causes a lifelong yet relatively innocuous infection and is one of 14 distinct human polyomaviruses species. Although polyomaviruses typically do not cause illness in healthy individuals, several can cause catastrophic diseases in immunocompromised hosts. MCPyV is the only polyomavirus clearly associated with human cancer. How MCPyV causes MCC and what oncogenic events must transpire to enable this virus to cause MCC is the focus of this essay.This article is part of the themed issue 'Human oncogenic viruses'.Entities:
Keywords: Merkel cell carcinoma; Merkel cell polyomavirus; T-antigen
Mesh:
Year: 2017 PMID: 28893943 PMCID: PMC5597743 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0276
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci ISSN: 0962-8436 Impact factor: 6.237