• The frequecncy of Human Polyomavirus BK in colorectal cancer fecal samples
  • Mahbube Farbarin,1 Hoorieh Soleimanjahi,2,* Bita Bakhshi,3 Zeynab Nasiri,4 Kamal Fakhredini,5
    1. Department of Virology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
    2. Department of Virology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
    3. Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
    4. Department of Virology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
    5. Department of Virology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.


  • Introduction: Polomaviruses are oncogenic in rodent models and readily transform animal and human cells in-vitro. BKV is among this family of viruses. BK virus genome encodes a transforming protein known as Lareg T-Ag that intract with P53 and pRb tumor suppressor proteins altering cell cycle control and inducing malignant transformation. Thus there is a chance that BK virus could potentially promoting some neoplasia such as: colorectal cancer(CRC). CRC is the third most common cause of cancer death in the world. The risk factors developing CRC is associated with personal features such as age and gut microbiota. Many human neoplasms are often initiated by exposure to infectious agents.
  • Methods: Method: We assayed VP1 of BK virus in fecal samples, including 25 patients of CRC and 25 healthy cases. VP1 was detected by a PCR technique.
  • Results: Result: Based on our research, positive results in PCR, were obtained for 20% CRC group and just 4% sample in healthy group.
  • Conclusion: Conclusion: Taken together, PCR results for BK virus in patient samples idicate that may ye a causal relationship between the development of CRC and the virus existance. However the exact role of the BK virus is still controversial and needs to further study.
  • Keywords: Keywords: BK virus, Colorectal cancer, VP1, PCR, Gute microbiota.