Simian virus 40 in human brain neoplasms

We looked for SV40 large T antigen (Tag) coding sequences in human brain tumors and in blood samples from healthy donors. Fifty-eight primary brain tumors of different histotypes, 24 brain tumor-derived cell lines, 13 normal brain tissues, and 60 peripheral blood cell (PBC) samples were examined. Using PCR, followed by Southern blotting and hybridization with an oligoprobe specific for the SV40 early region, we found SV40 DNA sequences in 5/6 (83%) choroid plexus papillomas, 8/11 (73%) ependymomas, 3/7 (43%) astrocytomas, 5/17 (29%) glioblastomas, 1/7 (14%) meningiomas, 6/16 (37%), glioblastoma multiforme derived cell lines, 1/3 (33%) astrocytoma derived cell lines and 12/60 (20%) PBC samples. None of the 13 normal brain tissues were positive for SV40 DNA, nor were 7 oligodendrogliomas, 2 spongioblastomas, 1 neuroblastoma and 1 meningioma and 4 neuroblastoma cell lines. Two glioblastoma multiforme derived cell lines that were positive for SV40 DNA showed expression of SV40 early region...