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Impact on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Analysis of institutional authors

Requena LCorresponding Author

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April 22, 2021
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The presence of Merkel cell carcinoma polyomavirus is associated with a distinct phenotype in neoplastic Merkel cell carcinoma cells and their tissue microenvironment

Publicated to:PLoS ONE. 15 (7): e0232517-e0232517 - 2020-07-01 15(7), DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232517

Authors: Mendoza MD, Santonja C, Gonzalez-Vela C, Concha A, Iglesias Pena N, Andrés-Esteban EM, Vaque JP, Cereceda L, Pajares R, Kutzner H, Requena L, Piris MA

Affiliations

CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain. - Author
Department of Dermatology, Estructura Organizativa de Xestión Integrada de A Coruña, Coruña, Spain. - Author
Department of Dermatology, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain. - Author
Department of Pathology, Estructura Organizativa de Xestión Integrada de A Coruña, Coruña, Spain. - Author
Department of Pathology, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain. - Author
Department of Pathology, HUMV, Santander, Spain. - Author
Dermatopathologie Friedrichshafen, Friedrichshafen, Germany. - Author
IDIVAL, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain. - Author
Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, PBM.idiPAZ, Madrid, Spain. - Author
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Abstract

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive primary neuroendocrine tumor of the skin, associated with Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) in 49-89% of cases, depending on the country of origin and the techniques of detection. The presence of MCPyV defines heterogeneity in MCC; MCPyV-negative cases bear a much higher mutational load, with a distinct ultraviolet signature pattern featuring C > T transitions, as a consequence of exposure to ultraviolet light radiation. MCC stroma has not been thoroughly studied, although MCC patients benefit from therapy targeting PD1/PDL1.In this study, using Tissue Microarrays and immunohistochemistry, we have analyzed a series of 219 MCC cases in relation to the presence of MCPyV, and confirmed that the presence of MCPyV is associated with changes not only in the neoplastic cells, but also in the composition of the tumor stroma. Thus, MCPyV, found in 101/176 (57,4%) analyzable cases, exhibits changes in its tumor morphology, the density of the inflammatory infiltrate, the phenotype of the neoplastic cells, and the cell composition of the tumor stroma. MCPyV presence is negatively correlated with a higher level of p53 expression, and associated with a very high frequency (86%) of HLA-I expression loss, a higher apoptotic index, and a stroma richer in T-cells, cytotoxic T-cells, macrophages, PDL1-positive macrophages, and B-cells.Our findings provide evidence of the basic heterogeneity of MCC, supporting the hypothesis that the presence of MCPyV may induce a rich inflammatory response, which is at least partially avoided through loss of HLA-I antigen expression. On the other hand, MCPyV-negative cases show a much higher frequency of stronger p53 expression and, probably, p53 alterations.

Keywords

Administração pública e de empresas, ciências contábeis e turismoAdministração, ciências contábeis e turismoAgricultural and biological sciences (miscellaneous)AnthropologyAntropologia / arqueologiaArchaeologyArquitetura, urbanismo e designAstronomia / físicaBiochemistry, genetics and molecular biology (miscellaneous)BiodiversidadeBiologyBiotecnologíaCiência da computaçãoCiência de alimentosCiência política e relações internacionaisCiências agrárias iCiências ambientaisCiências biológicas iCiências biológicas iiCiências biológicas iiiCiências sociais aplicadas iComunicação e informaçãoDemographyDireitoEconomiaEducaçãoEducação físicaEnfermagemEngenharias iEngenharias iiEngenharias iiiEngenharias ivEnsinoEnvironmental studiesFarmaciaGeneral agricultural and biological sciencesGeneral biochemistry,genetics and molecular biologyGeneral medicineGeociênciasGeografíaHistoriaHistory & philosophy of scienceHuman geography and urban studiesInterdisciplinarInterdisciplinary research in the social sciencesLetras / linguísticaLinguística e literaturaMatemática / probabilidade e estatísticaMateriaisMedicina iMedicina iiMedicina iiiMedicina veterinariaMedicine (miscellaneous)MultidisciplinaryMultidisciplinary sciencesNutriçãoOdontologíaPlanejamento urbano e regional / demografiaPsicologíaPsychologyQuímicaSaúde coletivaServiço socialSociologíaSociologyZootecnia / recursos pesqueiros

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal PLoS ONE due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency Scopus (SJR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2020, it was in position , thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Multidisciplinary. Notably, the journal is positioned above the 90th percentile.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from the Field Citation Ratio (FCR) of the Dimensions source, it yields a value of: 2.01, which indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: Dimensions Aug 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2025-08-02, the following number of citations:

  • WoS: 5
  • Scopus: 7
  • Europe PMC: 4

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-08-02:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 18.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 17 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 1.
  • The number of mentions on the social network X (formerly Twitter): 1 (Altmetric).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.
Continuing with the social impact of the work, it is important to emphasize that, due to its content, it can be assigned to the area of interest of ODS 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages, with a probability of 73% according to the mBERT algorithm developed by Aurora University.

Leadership analysis of institutional authors

This work has been carried out with international collaboration, specifically with researchers from: Germany.

the author responsible for correspondence tasks has been REQUENA CABALLERO, LUIS.