title: Occurrence of papillomavirus structural antigens in oral papillomas and leukoplakias.
abstract: Six oral papillomas and 7 oral leukoplakias were studied with genus-specific antibodies against detergent-disrupted papillomaviruses. Indirect immunofluorescence staining was applied to frozen sections. Distinct nuclear staining of superficial keratinocytes was seen in 5 of 6 oral papillomas, 2 of 5 homogenous leukoplakias, and in 2 cases of nodular leukoplakia, one of these showing transition into an invasive carcinoma. Papillomavirus antibodies offer a new way to detect and localize papillomaviruses in epithelial hyperplasias. The relevance of the immunomorphological identification of papillomavirus-associated antigens is discussed with special reference to the molecular hybridization technique.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D010212:Papilloma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral