The Biological characteristics of Merkel cell Polyomavirus and Merkel cell Carcinoma

Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is the only polyomavirus associated with human cancer discovered so far. Infection with MCPyV is widespread in the general population. In older people and immunocompromised people, infection can lead to a deadly form of skin cancer called Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). Excessive sun and ultraviolet (UV) exposure, immunodeficiency, and aging are the main risk factors for MCC skin cancer. Clonal integration of MCPyV DNA into the host genome is the causative factor in the development of most MCC tumors. MCPyV is also a common virus and is frequently detected in healthy human skin, indicating that its infection is widespread in the general population. Detection of MCPyV in MCC tumors further supports the viral etiology of MCC. MCC frequencies are higher near the equator and much lower in non-Caucasian populations. Immunosuppression, including HIV infection or immunosuppressive treatment after organ transplantation or autoimmune disease, may also increase the likelihood of developing MCC. Recently, new insights have established a link between MCPyV infection, the host immune response, and the development of Merkel cell carcinoma. This article focuses on undrestanding of the biological characteristics of MCPyV and MCC and our current understanding of how MCPyV achieves persistent infection that contributes to the development of MCC in immunocompromised populations.

کلیدواژه ها:

Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) ، human cancer ، skin cancer ، Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) ، host immune response