Silvia Pietrobon, Ilaria Bononi, Elisa Mazzoni, Francesca Lotito, Marco Manfrini, Andrea Puozzo, Federica Destro, Giovanni Guerra, Pier Francesco Nocini, Fernanda Martini, Mauro G. Tognon
Abstract
BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) was isolated in 1971 from the urine of a kidney transplant patient. Soon after its identification, BKPyV was characterized as a kidney-tropic virus, which is responsible of a significant fraction of the rejection of transplant kidney in the host. Moreover, in experimental conditions, BKPyV is able to transform different types of animal and human cells and to induce tumors of different histotypes in experimental animals. BKPyV DNA sequences have been detected in healthy individuals and cancer patients using polymerase chain reaction/Shouthern blot hybridization methods. Serum antibodies against this polyomavirus were revealed using immunological techniques, which, however, cross-react with other polyomaviruses such as JC (JCPyV) and Simian Virus 40. These non-specific data indicate the need of novel immunological methods and new investigations to check in a specific manner, BKPyV spread in humans. To this aim, mimotopes from BKPyV structural capsid protein 1 (VP1) were employed for specific immunological reactions to IgG antibodies of human serum samples. An indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with synthetic peptides mimicking immunogenic epitopes of BKPyV VP1 was set up and employed to test sera of healthy adult subjects. Data from this innovative immunological assay indicate that serum antibodies against BKPyV VP1 mimotopes are detectable in healthy subjects ranging from 18 to 90 years old. The overall prevalence of serum samples that reacted to BKPyV VP1 mimotopes was 72%. The strong points from this investigation are the novelty of the immunological method, its simplicity of the approach, and the specificity of BKPyV antibody reaction to VP1 mimotopes.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
1
4%
Unknown
11
46%
Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 5. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 09 February 2018.
All research outputs
#7,501,512
of 25,932,719 outputs
Outputs from Frontiers in immunology
#8,715
of 32,608 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#112,084
of 327,496 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Frontiers in immunology
#154
of 427 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 25,932,719 research outputs across all sources so far. This one has received more attention than most of these and is in the 70th percentile.
So far Altmetric has tracked 32,608 research outputs from this source. They typically receive more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 8.5. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 72% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 327,496 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 65% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 427 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 62% of its contemporaries.
