The presence of mucosal human papillomavirus in Bowen's disease of the hands.
BACKGROUND
Bowen's disease (BD) of the genital skin region is generally associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Various molecular analyses have identified mainly HPV-16 in the lesions. However, the HPV genotypes associated with BD of the hands have not yet been characterized.


METHODS
The skin specimens of 12 patients with BD of the hands were investigated clinicopathologically and immunohistochemically, and the total DNAs extracted from the skin were analyzed for the presence of HPV DNA using Southern blot hybridization and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in combination with restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) and direct sequencing analysis of the amplified products. In addition, the histologic localization of HPV DNA was examined by in situ hybridization in paraffin embedded sections of HPV positive patients.


RESULTS
In 8 of 12 BD lesions (66.7%), HPV types (HPV-16, -31, -54, -58, -61, -62, and -73) were detected by Southern blot hybridization and/or PCR with RFLP and direct sequencing analysis. In 6 of 7 HPV positive lesions examined (85.7%), the viral genomes were identified by in situ hybridization in the nuclei of keratinocytes in the upper stratum malpighii and/or stratum corneum.


CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrate that BD of the hands is frequently associated with HPV infection. The seven HPV genotypes are known as mucosal (genital) HPVs and to the authors' knowledge, this is the first time HPV-31, -54, -58, -61, -62, and -73 have been identified in BD lesions. These findings strongly suggest that HPVs related to mucosal lesions play an important role in the development of BD of the hands.
Mitsuishi
T
T
Department of Dermatology, Tokyo Women's Medical College, Shinjuku-ku, Japan.
Sata
T
T
Matsukura
T
T
Iwasaki
T
T
Kawashima
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D001913:Bowen's Disease / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D016679:Genome, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D006225:Hand / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000473:pathology; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012867:Skin / Q000821:virology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000473:pathology
D004279:DNA, Viral