Our objective was to assess the presence of three polyomaviruses, namely
SV40, JCPyV, and BKPyV, and human papillomaviruses (HPV) in adenoid
cystic carcinomas (ACC) of the minor salivary glands (MiSG) in the head
and neck region. The study comprised 68 MiSG ACC patients operated
during 1974–2012 at the Helsinki University Hospital (Helsinki,
Finland). Medical records and 68 histological samples were reviewed.
Polyomaviruses were detected with quantitative PCR and the DNA-positive
samples were further analyzed for the presence of viral tumor T antigen
(T-ag) with immunohistochemistry. HPV genotyping was performed with a
Multiplex HPV Genotyping Kit. Only JCPyV DNA was found in ACC samples,
being present in 7 (10.3%) out of the 68 samples. The viral load of
JCPyV was low varying between 1 to 226 copies/μg DNA. The JCPyV-positive
samples originated from trachea (two samples), paranasal sinuses (one),
and oral cavity (two). Additionally, JCPyV positivity was found in one
lung metastasis of a tracheal tumor and one local disease failure of an
oral cavity tumor. Three JCPyV DNA-positive samples showed weak nuclear
staining for large T-ag. In conclusion, only JCPyV but not SV40, BKPyV,
or HPV was found in ACC from the upper and lower airways. JCPyV copy
numbers were low which might support its role as a “hit and run agent”
in ACC carcinogenesis.