Human papillomavirus is present in some cases of childhood penile lichen sclerosus: an in situ hybridization and SP-PCR study.
Lichen sclerosus (LS) is a skin disease that may affect both sexes at all ages and at any site. Its etiology remains unknown. The observation of focal koilocytotic-like changes in the stratum malpighii in prepuce samples of LS in children prompted us to investigate the presence of HPV-DNA. Twenty-three paraffin-embedded samples of LS lesions from children aged 4 to 14 years were studied using nested-PCR and in situ hybridization (ISH). Twelve out of 23 cases amplified HPV-DNA (8 cases corresponded to HPV-DNA type 6; 2 cases each to HPV-DNA types 16 and 18). ISH detected HPV sequences in the nuclei of koilocytotic and some parakeratotic cells in 13 cases (9/13 also HPV-DNA positive by PCR). Our results demonstrated the presence of HPV-DNA in roughly 70% of cases of LS of the prepuce in children. We highlight the observation of koilocytotic-like changes in the prepuce and its association with HPV. The possible pathogenetic significance between the virus and the lesion is not settled.
Drut
R M
RM
Department of Pathology, Hospital de Niños, La Plata, Argentina.
Gómez
M A
MA
Drut
R
R
Lojo
M M
MM
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D018459:Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D010409:Penile Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*
D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral