Herpes simplex virus type II is not a cofactor to human papillomavirus in cancer of the uterine cervix.
OBJECTIVE
Cells that were cotransfected with herpes simplex virus-16 and the herpes simplex virus type 2 Xho -2 DNA induce tumors in nude mice. In a cross-sectional study, we investigated the role of herpes simplex virus type 2 as a cofactor to human papillomavirus in cervical cancer.


METHODS
Cervical cells that were obtained with an endocervical Cytobrush brush (Medscand) from 439 women (50 women with cancer lesions, 65 women with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, 80 women with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, 244 healthy subjects) and DNA that was extracted from 150 cervical cancer biopsy specimens were analyzed with polymerase chain reaction for herpes simplex virus type 2 Xho -2 and Bgl IIC transforming DNA sequences.


RESULTS
All 439 cervical samples and 150 cervical cancer biopsy specimens tested negative for herpes simplex virus type 2 Xho -2 and Bgl IIC DNA by polymerase chain reaction. Overall, none of 200 samples (0%) from women with invasive cervical cancer contained herpes simplex virus type 2 Xho -2 or Bgl IIC DNA (95% CI, 0.0-1.8).


CONCLUSIONS
Although herpes simplex virus type 2 Bgl IIN transforms epithelial cells in vitro, it was not detected in cervical cancer specimens.
Tran-Thanh
Danh
D
Départements de Microbiologie-Infectiologie, Gynécologie-Obstétrique et de Pathologie, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Provencher
Diane
D
Koushik
Anita
A
Duarte-Franco
Eliane
E
Kessous
Allégria
A
Drouin
Pierre
P
Wheeler
Cosette M
CM
Dubuc-Lissoir
Josée
J
Gauthier
Philippe
P
Allaire
Guy
G
Vauclair
René
R
Dipaolo
Joseph A
JA
Gravitt
Patty
P
Franco
Eduardo
E
Coutlée
Francois
F
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000821:virology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific; D005260:Female; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000821:virology
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004279:DNA, Viral; C056536:endodeoxyribonuclease BstYI; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific