Importance of human papillomaviruses for the development of skin cancer.
The frequent detection of HPV DNA in non-melanoma skin cancers was shown in several studies; however, the role of HPV in the development of these cancers remains speculative. We analyzed different skin tumors, normal skin, and hair follicles for HPV DNA using a PCR system designed to detect all HPV types known so far. HPV DNA was found in 93% of common warts, 69% of squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), 52% of basal cell carcinomas (BCC), 41% of actinic keratoses, 31% of extragenital Bowen's disease, 22% of keratoacanthomas, 16% of normal skin tissues and 47% of hair follicles. No individual HPV type predominated in any of the skin tumors. The number of HPV genomes in individual neoplasms (SCC and BCC) seems to be less than I per cancer cell. These results indicate that a direct role of HPV in skin cancerogenesis remains questionable. Possibly, mechanisms different from the activity of HPV oncoproteins in genital cancers are involved in skin neoplastic transformation.
Institute of Immunology, Pathology and Molecular Biology, Hamburg, Germany.
T
T
Meyer
R
R
Arndt
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E
Christophers
I
I
Nindl
E
E
Stockfleth
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000821:virology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000821:virology*; D002648:Child; D015344:DNA Probes, HPV / Q000032:analysis; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012867:Skin / Q000821:virology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000821:virology*
D015344:DNA Probes, HPV; D004279:DNA, Viral