Colorectal papillomavirus infection in patients with colorectal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Infection with human papillomaviruses (HPV) is associated with the development of cervical cancer, but whether HPVs have a role in colorectal cancer remains controversial.


METHODS
To determine the relationship between HPV and colorectal cancer, we did a retrospective, controlled study using tumor and tumor-adjacent colorectal tissues dissected from patients with colorectal cancer, as well as colorectal tissues from control individuals with no cancer. The samples were processed in a blinded fashion for nested PCR and in situ PCR detection of HPV DNAs. The PCR products were gel-purified and sequenced for HPV genotyping.


RESULTS
We found that colorectal tissues from 28 of 55 (51%) patients with colorectal cancer were positive for HPV DNA. Colorectal tissues from all 10 control individuals were negative for HPV DNA (P = 0.0034). Of the 107 usable (GAPDH(+)) samples collected as paired colorectal tissues (tumor and tumor-adjacent tissues) from the patients, 38 (36%) had HPV16 (n = 31), HPV18 (n = 5), or HPV45 (n = 2), with HPV DNA in both tumor and tumor-adjacent tissues of 10 paired samples, 13 in only the tumor, and 5 in only tumor-adjacent tissues. In situ PCR detection of the tumor tissues confirmed the presence of HPV DNA in tumor cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that colorectal HPV infection is common in patients with colorectal cancer, albeit at a low DNA copy number, with HPV16 being the most prevalent type. HPV infection may play a role in colorectal carcinogenesis.
Bodaghi
Sohrab
S
HIV and AIDS Malignancy Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
Yamanegi
Koji
K
Xiao
Shu-Yuan
SY
Da Costa
Maria
M
Palefsky
Joel M
JM
Zheng
Zhi-Ming
ZM
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D003106:Colon / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012007:Rectum / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D004279:DNA, Viral