Multimodal study shows MCPyV T-antigen presence in Spitz naevi, indicating active viral infection.
This study provides the first documentation of Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) T-antigen expression in Spitz naevi, with 41.1% immunohistochemical positivity (58/141), 20.0% qPCR positivity (11/55), and electron microscopy confirmation in 75% (3/4) of examined cases. The detection pattern (IHC>PCR) indicates transcriptionally-active viral infection rather than passive colonisation, expanding MCPyV cellular tropism beyond neuroendocrine lineage to melanocytic cells. These findings represent a paradigm shift in viral oncology with potential implications for biomarker development in diagnostically-challenging spitzoid lesions.
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Carapeba et al. (2026) studied this question.
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