Different serologic behavior of MCPyV, TSPyV, HPyV6, HPyV7 and HPyV9 polyomaviruses found on the skin

PLoS One. 2013 Nov 21;8(11):e81078. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0081078. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

The polyomavirus family is rapidly expanding with twelve new human viruses identified since 2007. A significant number of the new human polyomaviruses (HPyV) has been found on the skin. Whether these viruses share biological properties and should be grouped together is unknown. Here we investigated the serological behavior of cutaneous HPyVs in a general population. 799 sera from immunocompetent Australian individuals aged between 0-87 were analyzed with a Luminex xMAP technology-based immunoassay for the presence of VP1-directed IgG antibodies against MCPyV, HPyV6, HPyV7, TSPyV, HPyV9, and BKPyV as a control. Except for HPyV9, overall seropositivity was high for the cutanous polyomaviruses (66-81% in adults), and gradually increased with age. Children below 6 months displayed seropositivity rates comparable to the adults, indicative of maternal antibodies. TSPyV seroreactivity levels strongly increased after age 2 and waned later in life comparable to BKPyV, whereas MCPyV, HPyV6 and HPyV7 seroreactivity remained rather stable throughout. Based on the identified serologic profiles, MCPyV seems to cluster with HPyV6 and HPyV7, and TSPyV and HPyV9 by themselves. These profiles indicate heterogeneity among cutaneous polyomaviruses and probably reflect differences in exposure and pathogenic behavior of these viruses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Capsid Proteins / genetics
  • Capsid Proteins / immunology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cross Reactions / immunology
  • Gene Expression
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Middle Aged
  • Polyomavirus / classification*
  • Polyomavirus / genetics
  • Polyomavirus / pathogenicity
  • Polyomavirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Polyomavirus Infections / virology*
  • Serotyping
  • Skin / virology*
  • Skin Diseases, Viral / epidemiology
  • Skin Diseases, Viral / virology
  • Tumor Virus Infections / epidemiology
  • Tumor Virus Infections / virology
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Capsid Proteins
  • VP1 protein, polyomavirus

Grants and funding

SB is supported by a QCMRI Early Career Fellowship (# 50056) from the Children's Hospital Foundation. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.