Study of association between oncogenic polyomaviruses and ocular melanoma, and p53 gene analysis of the tumor in relation to the radio-therapy resistance.

The aim of this study is to verify the putative association between oncogenic polyomaviruses (1), and ocular melanoma (OM). To this purpose two cohorts composed of ocular melanoma affected patients and healthy blood donors, employed as a control group, are enrolled in this investigation. The two cohorts have the same median age. The association of polyomaviruses with OM is investigated by searching, in serum samples, specific antibodies against viral capsid proteins. Serum antibodies against polyomaviruses are analyzed by an indirect ELISA with synthetic peptides which mimic specific capsid polypeptide antigens (2). In the first step of our investigation indirect ELISAs employing synthetic peptides was set up and standardized for the detection of specific serum antibodies against polyomaviruses SV40, BKV and JCV. ELISA data showing the prevalence of anti-polyomavirus antibodies in serum samples from OM patients, compared to that detected in samples from healthy subjects will be presented. It has been shown that p53 gene mutations affect more than 50% of human tumors. p53 gene mutations, in exons 5-8, are responsible of absence of apoptosis, and resistance to chemo- and radio-therapies. The aims of our study is to verify whether ocular melanomas, which are resistant to radio-therapy (20%), carry specific p53 mutations in comparison to the p53 profile of radio-therapy sensitive tumors. 1. Martini F, Corallini A, Balatti V, Sabbioni S, Pancaldi C, Tognon M. Simian virus 40 in humans. Infect. Agent and Cancer. 2007;2:1-13. 2. Corallini A, Mazzoni E, Taronna A, Manfrini M, Carandina G, Guerra G, Guaschino R, Vaniglia F, Magnani C, Casali F, Dolcetti R, Palmonari C, Rezza G, Martini F, Barbanti-Brodano G, Tognon MG. Specific antibodies reacting with simian virus 40 capsid protein mimotopes in serum samples from healthy blood donors. Hum. Immunol. 2012;73:502-510.