Papers by Els van der Meijden
iScience, 2022
Summary The Polyomaviridae is a family of ubiquitous dsDNA viruses that establish persistent infe... more Summary The Polyomaviridae is a family of ubiquitous dsDNA viruses that establish persistent infection early in life. Screening for human polyomaviruses (HPyVs), which comprise 14 diverse species, relies upon species-specific qPCRs whose validity may be challenged by accelerating genomic exploration of the virosphere. Using this reasoning, we tested 64 published HPyV qPCR assays in silico against the 1781 PyV genome sequences that were divided in targets and nontargets, based on anticipated species specificity of each qPCR. We identified several cases of problematic qPCR performance that were confirmed in vitro and corrected through using degenerate oligos. Furthermore, our study ranked 8 out of 52 tested BKPyV qPCRs as remaining of consistently high quality in the wake of recent PyV discoveries and showed how sensitivity of most other qPCRs could be rescued by annealing temperature adjustment. This study establishes an efficient framework for ensuring confidence in available HPyV qPCRs in the genomic era.
Transfusion, 2019
BACKGROUNDHuman polyomaviruses (HPyVs), like herpesviruses, cause persistent infection in a large... more BACKGROUNDHuman polyomaviruses (HPyVs), like herpesviruses, cause persistent infection in a large part of the population. In immunocompromised and elderly patients, PyVs cause severe diseases such as nephropathy (BK polyomavirus [BKPyV]), progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (JC polyomavirus [JCPyV]), and skin cancer (Merkel cell polyomavirus [MCPyV]). Like cytomegalovirus, donor‐derived PyV can cause disease in kidney transplant recipients. Possibly blood components transmit PyVs as well. To study this possibility, as a first step we determined the presence of PyV DNA in Dutch blood donations.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODSBlood donor serum samples (n = 1016) were analyzed for the presence of DNA of 14 HPyVs using HPyV species‐specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedures. PCR‐positive samples were subjected to confirmation by sequencing. Individual PCR findings were compared with the previously reported PyV serostatus.RESULTSMC polyomavirus DNA was detected in 39...
Frontiers in Microbiology, 2018
Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) has long been proposed as a cofactor in the pathogenesis o... more Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) has long been proposed as a cofactor in the pathogenesis of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). More recently, the striking clinico-pathological features of cSCCs that complicate treatment of metastatic melanoma with inhibitors targeting BRAF mutations (BRAFi) has prompted speculation concerning a pathogenic role for oncogenic viruses. Here, we investigate HPV and human polyomaviruses (HPyV) and correlate with clinical, histologic, and genetic features in BRAFi-associated cSCC. Materials and Methods: Patients receiving BRAFi treatment were recruited at Barts Health NHS Trust. HPV DNA was detected in microdissected frozen samples using reverse line probe technology and degenerate and nested PCR. HPV immunohistochemistry was performed in a subset of samples. Quantitative PCR was performed to determine the presence and viral load of HPyVs with affinity for the skin (HPyV6, HPyV7, HPyV9, MCPyV, and TSPyV). These data were correlated with previous genetic mutational analysis of H, K and NRAS, NOTCH1/2, TP53, CDKN2A, CARD11, CREBBP, TGFBR1/2. Chromosomal aberrations were profiled using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays. Results: Forty-five skin lesions from seven patients treated with single agent vemurafenib in 2012-2013 were analyzed: 12 cSCC, 19 viral warts (VW), 2 actinic keratosis (AK), 5 verrucous keratosis/other squamoproliferative (VK/SP) lesions, one melanocytic lesion and 6 normal skin samples. Significant histologic features of viral infection were seen in 10/12 (83%) cSCC. HPV DNA was detected in 18/19 (95%) VW/SP, 9/12 (75%) cSCC, 4/5 (80%) SP, and 3/6 (50%) normal skin samples and in 1/12 cases assessed by immunohistochemistry. HPyV was co-detected in 22/30 (73%) of samples, usually at low viral load, with MCPyV and HPyV7 the most common. SNP
Journal of Medical Virology, 2019
Background BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) persistently infects the urinary tract and causes viremia and ... more Background BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) persistently infects the urinary tract and causes viremia and nephropathy in kidney transplantation (KTx) recipients. In a previous study, we observed an increased incidence and load This article has been accepted for publication and undergone full peer review but has not been through the copyediting, typesetting, pagination and proofreading process, which may lead to differences between this version and the Version of Record. Please cite this article as
The Polyomaviridae constitute a family of small DNA viruses infecting a variety of hosts. In huma... more The Polyomaviridae constitute a family of small DNA viruses infecting a variety of hosts. In humans, polyomaviruses can cause infections of the central nervous system, urinary tract, skin, and possibly the respiratory tract. Here we report the identification of a new human polyomavirus in plucked facial spines of a heart transplant patient with trichodysplasia spinulosa, a rare skin disease exclusively seen in immunocompromized patients. The trichodysplasia spinulosa-associated polyomavirus (TSV) genome was amplified through rolling-circle amplification and consists of a 5232-nucleotide circular DNA organized similarly to known polyomaviruses. Two putative “early” (small and large T antigen) and three putative “late” (VP1, VP2, VP3) genes were identified. The TSV large T antigen contains several domains (e.g. J-domain) and motifs (e.g. HPDKGG, pRb family-binding, zinc finger) described for other polyomaviruses and potentially involved in cellular transformation. Phylogenetic analysi...
Classic human polyomaviruses (JC and BK viruses) become pathogenic when reactivating from latency... more Classic human polyomaviruses (JC and BK viruses) become pathogenic when reactivating from latency. For the rare skin disease trichodysplasia spinulosa, we show that manifestations of the causative polyomavirus (TSPyV) occur during primary infection of the immunosuppressed host. High TSPyV loads in blood and cerebrospinal fluid, sometimes coinciding with cerebral lesions and neuroendocrine symptoms, marked the acute phase of trichodysplasia spinulosa, whereas initiation and maturation of TSPyV seroresponses occurred in the convalescent phase. TSPyV genomes lacked the rearrangements typical for reactivating polyomaviruses. These findings demonstrate the clinical importance of primary infection with this rapidly expanding group of human viruses and explain the rarity of some novel polyomavirus-associated diseases.
ejd.2011.1395 Auteur(s) : Jean Kanitakis1 [email protected], Siamaque Kazem2, Els Van ... more ejd.2011.1395 Auteur(s) : Jean Kanitakis1 [email protected], Siamaque Kazem2, Els Van Der Meijden2, Mariet Feltkamp2 1 Department of Dermatology & Dermatopathology Laboratory, Ed. Herriot Hospital Group, 5 Place d’Arsonval, 69437 Lyon, France 2 Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands Although the association of polyomaviruses (PyV) with tumors in animals has been known for decades, the involvement of PyV in human oncogenesis was substantiated [...]
Journal of Medical Virology
We report a case of primary trichodysplasia spinulosa (TS) infection in a kidney transplant child... more We report a case of primary trichodysplasia spinulosa (TS) infection in a kidney transplant child and describe for the first time the presence of degenerated TS‐associated polyomavirus (TSPyV)‐infected cells in a TS patient's urine that are morphologically different from BK or JC polyomavirus‐infected decoy cells.
PLOS ONE
The polyomavirus family currently includes thirteen human polyomavirus (HPyV) species. In immunoc... more The polyomavirus family currently includes thirteen human polyomavirus (HPyV) species. In immunocompromised and elderly persons HPyVs are known to cause disease, such as progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (JCPyV), haemorrhagic cystitis and nephropathy (BKPyV), Merkel cell carcinoma (MCPyV), and trichodysplasia spinulosa (TSPyV). Some recently discovered polyomaviruses are of still unknown prevalence and pathogenic potential. Because HPyVs infections persist and might be transferred by blood components to immunocompromised patients, we studied the seroprevalence of fourteen polyomaviruses in adult Dutch blood donors. For most polyomaviruses the observed seroprevalence was high (60-100%), sometimes slightly increasing or decreasing with age. Seroreactivity increased with age for JCPyV, HPyV6 and HPyV7 and decreased for BKPyV and TSPyV. The most recently identified polyomaviruses HPyV12, NJPyV and LIPyV showed low overall seroprevalence (~5%) and low seroreactivity, questioning their human tropism. Altogether, HPyV infections are common in Dutch blood donors, with an average of nine polyomaviruses per subject.
Journal of Clinical Virology
BACKGROUND The BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) is subdivided into four genotypes. The consequences of eac... more BACKGROUND The BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) is subdivided into four genotypes. The consequences of each genotype and of donor-recipient genotype (mis)match for BKPyV-associated nephropathy (BKPyVAN) in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) are unknown. OBJECTIVES To develop and evaluate a genotype-specific IgG antibody-based BKPyV serotyping assay, in order to classify kidney transplant donors and recipients accordingly. STUDY DESIGN VP1 antigens of six BKPyV variants (Ib1, Ib2, Ic, II, III and IV) were expressed as recombinant glutathione-s-transferase-fusion proteins and coupled to fluorescent Luminex beads. Sera from 87 healthy blood donors and 39 KTRs were used to analyze seroreactivity and serospecificity against the different BKPyV genotypes. Six sera with marked BKPyV serotype profiles were analyzed further for genotype-specific BKPyV pseudovirus neutralizing capacity. RESULTS Seroreactivity was observed against all genotypes, with seropositivity rates above 77% comparable for KTRs and blood donors. Strong cross-reactivity (r > 0.8) was observed among genotype I subtypes, and among genotypes II, III and IV. Seroresponses against genotypes I and IV seemed genuine, while those against II and III could be out(cross)competed. GMT (Luminex) and IC50 (neutralization assay) values showed good agreement in determining the genotype with the strongest seroresponse within an individual. CONCLUSIONS Despite some degree of cross-reactivity, this serotyping assay seems a useful tool to identify the main infecting BKPyV genotype within a given individual. This information, which cannot be obtained otherwise from nonviremic/nonviruric individuals, could provide valuable information regarding the prevalent BKPyV genotype in kidney donors and recipients and warrants further study.
Journal of clinical microbiology, 2018
The family of polyomaviruses, which cause severe disease in immunocompromised hosts, has expanded... more The family of polyomaviruses, which cause severe disease in immunocompromised hosts, has expanded substantially in recent years. To accommodate measurement of IgG seroresponses against all currently known human polyomaviruses (HPyVs), including the Lyon IARC polyomavirus (LIPyV), we extended our custom multiplex bead-based HPyV immunoassay and evaluated the performance of this pan-HPyV immunoassay. The VP1 proteins of 15 HPyVs belonging to 13 species were expressed as recombinant glutathione -transferase (GST) fusion proteins and coupled to fluorescent Luminex beads. Sera from healthy blood donors and immunocompromised kidney transplant recipients were used to analyze seroreactivity against the different HPyVs. For BK polyomavirus (BKPyV), the GST-VP1 fusion protein-directed seroresponses were compared to those obtained against BKPyV VP1 virus-like particles (VLP). Seroreactivity against most HPyVs was common and generally high in both test populations. Low seroreactivity against HP...
Frontiers in microbiology, 2018
Approximately 15-20% of human cancer is related to infection, which renders them potentially prev... more Approximately 15-20% of human cancer is related to infection, which renders them potentially preventable by antimicrobial or antiviral therapy. Human polyomaviruses (PyVs) are relevant in this regard, as illustrated by the involvement of Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) in the development of Merkel cell carcinoma. The polyomavirus Small and Large tumor antigen (ST and LT) have been extensively studied with respect to their role in oncogenesis. Recently it was shown that a number of human PyVs, including MCPyV and the trichodysplasia spinulosa polyomavirus (TSPyV), express additional T-antigens called Middle T (MT) and alternative T (ALT). ALT is encoded by ORF5, also known as the alternative T open reading frame (ALTO), which also encodes the second exon of MT, and overlaps out-of-frame with the second exon of LT. Previously, MT was considered unique for oncogenic rodent polyomaviruses, and ALT was still unknown. In this mini-review, we want to point out there are important reasons ...
Journal of Clinical Virology
Recently we showed that the level of BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) IgG seroreactivity in kidney donors ... more Recently we showed that the level of BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) IgG seroreactivity in kidney donors predicted viremia and BKPyV-associated nephropathy in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). This observation could be explained by assuming a direct association between BKPyV seroreactivity and the amount of persistent infectious virus in the renal allograft. Since the renal BKPyV reservoir is probably sowed by viremia during primary BKPyV infection, we systematically analysed the dynamics of BKPyV IgG seroreactivity in relation to preceding BKPyV viremia in KTRs and healthy individuals. A cohort of 85 KTRs consisting of BKPyV viremic and nonviremic subjects was analysed for BKPyV IgG seroreactivity at five fixed time points until one year after transplantation. A cohort of 87 healthy blood donors (HBDs) was used as controls. Baseline BKPyV seropositivity was high in both KTRs and HBDs, and the baseline mean BKPyV IgG level comparable. BKPyV IgG levels in nonviremic KTRs and HBDs remained stable during follow-up, while a considerable increase was observed in viremic KTRs (p=0.015). The increase of BKPyV seroreactivity in viremic KTRs was associated with the duration and peak level of BKPyV viremia. BKPyV IgG seroreactivity was stable over time in immunocompetent subjects, which enables the use of this potential pretransplantation biomarker in kidney donors. The observed dose-dependent relationship of BKPyV IgG seroreactivity with preceding BKPyV replication is in agreement with the assumption that BKPyV seroreactivity reflects past BKPyV activity and correlates with the amount of latent BKPyV residing within a kidney allograft.
The Journal of infectious diseases, Jan 30, 2016
Classical human polyomaviruses (JCV/BKV) become pathogenic when reactivating from latency. For th... more Classical human polyomaviruses (JCV/BKV) become pathogenic when reactivating from latency. For the rare skin disease trichodysplasia spinulosa, we show that manifestations of the causing polyomavirus (TSPyV) occur during primary infection of the immunosuppressed host. High TSPyV-loads in blood and CSF, sometimes coinciding with cerebral lesions and neuroendocrine symptoms, marked the acute phase of TS, while initiation and maturation of TSPyV-seroresponses occurred in the convalescent phase. TSPyV genomes lacked the rearrangements typical for reactivating polyomaviruses. These findings demonstrate the clinical importance of primary infection with this rapidly expanding group of human viruses and explain the rarity of some novel polyomavirus-associated diseases.
Virology, 2016
We have recently shown that the trichodysplasia spinulosa-associated polyomavirus (TSPyV) belongs... more We have recently shown that the trichodysplasia spinulosa-associated polyomavirus (TSPyV) belongs to a large monophyletic group of mammalian polyomaviruses that experienced accelerated codon-constrained Val-Ala (COCO-VA) toggling at a protein site common to both Middle and Alternative T-antigens (MT/ALTO). Here we analyzed thirteen, mostly newly sequenced TSPyV genomes, representing ~40% of reported TS disease cases world-wide. We found two deletions and 30 variable sites (≤0.6%) that included only four sites with non-synonymous substitutions (NSS). One NSS site was under positive selection in the exon shared by Small and Middle T antigens, while three others were segregated in MT/ALTO. Two MT/ALTO sites covaried with five sites elsewhere in the genome and determined separation of twelve TSPyVs into two most populous phylogenetic lineages. The other, most distant TSPyV was distinguished by NSS at the COCO-VA site, observed for the first time during intra-species evolution. Our findi...
European journal of dermatology : EJD
ejd.2011.1395 Auteur(s) : Jean Kanitakis1 [email protected], Siamaque Kazem2, Els Van ... more ejd.2011.1395 Auteur(s) : Jean Kanitakis1 [email protected], Siamaque Kazem2, Els Van Der Meijden2, Mariet Feltkamp2 1 Department of Dermatology & Dermatopathology Laboratory, Ed. Herriot Hospital Group, 5 Place d’Arsonval, 69437 Lyon, France 2 Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands Although the association of polyomaviruses (PyV) with tumors in animals has been known for decades, the involvement of PyV in human oncogenesis was substantiated [...]
H&E staining (A1 and B1), trichohyalin staining (TCHH) (A2 and B2) and Ki-67 staining (A3 and B3)... more H&E staining (A1 and B1), trichohyalin staining (TCHH) (A2 and B2) and Ki-67 staining (A3 and B3) in organotypic raft cultures expressing empty vector (pLZRS) (Mock) or HPV16 oncogenes E6/E7 are shown in the upper group of figures. Note many suprabasal mitotic cells in B1 (inset). In the lower group of figures, staining for cell cycle regulatory proteins, p16ink4a (C1 and D1), p21waf (C2 and D2) and pRB (C3 and D3) in Mock rafts and HPV16 rafts are shown. Some (secondary antibody) nonspecific staining of the cornified layer was present in all materials tested in this study. The dermoepidermal junction is indicated by dotted lines. Bar depicts 100 µm.
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Papers by Els van der Meijden