Different simian virus 40 genomic regions and sequences homologous with SV40 large T antigen in DNA of human brain and bone tumors and of leukocytes from blood donors

Abstract

Authentic SV40 sequences were detected in human samples. The expression of SV40 Tag sequences indicates that SV40 could play a role, as a cofactor, in the onset/progression of specific human cancers. The inability to detect some regions of the virus genome may suggest that those regions are not required for tumor persistence or growth and have been lost or, alternatively, may be the result of assay conditions that were unable to PCR-amplify those regions in the tumors.