title: Identification of E6/E7 transcription patterns in HPV 16-positive cervical cancers using the reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction.
abstract: Studies indicate the presence of four different forms of human papillomavirus (HPV) E6/E7 mRNA resulting from differences in transcription patterns and post-transcriptional nuclear splicing. Through a retrospective analysis of 28 cervical cancer patients, correlations were sought between E6/E7 transcription patterns and histologic type, FIGO stage, and tumor aggression. A combined reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction was used to study E6/E7 transcription patterns in fresh and/or fixed paraffin-embedded tissues of HPV 16-positive cervical cancers. Random cervical biopsies from nine women with no history of cervical disease were included as controls. Two sets of primers used in the investigations detected the full-length (FL) E6, E6*I, and E6*II mRNAs and the FL E6 and E6*I mRNAs, respectively; eight of the tumors were also analyzed using a third primer combination designed to identify the E6*III mRNA. At least two of the transcripts were detected in all of the tumors, whereas E6/E7 mRNAs were not identified in any of the control cervical biopsies. Overall, the transcription patterns were consistent, but the major E6*I mRNA was not detected in two of the tumors. No relationship was found between the E6/E7 transcription patterns and the histological type and differentiation of the tumors, nor with the FIGO stage and the clinical behavior of the disease. The study confirms that E6/E7 transcription is a constant feature of HPV 16-related carcinoma, but the findings indicate that there may be no clinical advantage in adding E6/E7 mRNA detection to the routine assessment of cervical tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Tattersall
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dalrymple
authors.forename: Y E
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Cossart
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: C068651:E6 protein, Human papillomavirus type 16; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012097:Repressor Proteins