XMRV was first described in 2006, when it was identified in samples isolated from prostate cancer tissues.
However, studies have since shown that XMRV arose in the laboratory and was formed by genetic recombination between two viral genomes carried in the germline DNA of mice used during serial transplantation of the CWR22 prostate cancer xenograft. These new findings strongly imply that XMRV does not circulate in humans, but is only present in the laboratory. Thus, there is no reason to believe that it has any role in the etiology of prostate cancer or other diseases.
Written by:
Sfanos KS, Aloia AL, De Marzo AM, Rein A. Are you the author?
Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.
Reference: Nat Rev Urol. 2012 Jan 10;9(2):111-8.
doi: 10.1038/nrurol.2011.225.
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 22231291
UroToday.com Investigational Urology Section
