title: [Detection of human papillomavirus type 16 E6 mRNA in carcinomas of upper digestive tract].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and the development of upper digestive tract carcinomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  In situ hybridization (ISH) technique was used to detect the expression of HPV16 E6 mRNA in 40 specimens of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, 74 specimens of gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma, 40 specimens of adenocarcinoma of gastric corpus, 62 specimens of adenocarcinoma of gastric antrum, all resected during operation, and 58 specimens of normal tissues of gastric mucosa, obtained by endoscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The positive rate of HPV16 E6 mRNA was 70% (28/40) in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas, 67.6% (50/74) in gastric cardiac adenocarcinomas, 47.5% (19/40) in adenocarcinoma of gastric corpus, 35.5% (22/62) in adenocarcinoma of gastric antrum, and 20% (10/50) in normal tissues of gastric mucosa respectively, without a significant difference between esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma (P = 0.955). The positive rate in gastric adenocarcinoma was significantly lower than that in gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma (P < 0.05) or in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (P < 0.01). The positive rate in normal tissue of gastric mucosa was significantly lower than those in gastric adenocarcinoma (P < 0.05) in gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma (P < 0.01), and in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (P < 0.01). The positive rate in gastric cardiac carcinomas was negatively correlated with TNM stage (P < 0.05). However, there was no correlation between HPV16 and gender, age, tumor size, depth of penetration, differentiation, lymph node metastasis, vascular invasion and prognosis of these patients with gastric cardiac carcinoma (all P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HPV infects not only squamous epithelium, but also glandular epithelium. HPV16 may be an etiologic factor in the development of upper digestive tract carcinomas, especially esophageal and cardiac carcinomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, School of Clinical Oncology, Peking University, Beijing 100036, China.
authors.forename: Wei-guo
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Li-jian
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhe-ming
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Ji-you
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ke
authors.forename: Guang-wei
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000821:virology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000821:virology*; D002299:Cardia; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: C068651:E6 protein, Human papillomavirus type 16; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012097:Repressor Proteins