title: The presence of human papillomavirus 16 in neural structures and vascular endothelial cells.
abstract: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is known as a strictly epitheliotropic pathogen. Our results raised the possibility that HPV 16 is present in neural cells and in the vascular endothelium. By in situ hybridization, we have detected HPV 16 E6 ORF sequence in small blood vessels and peripheral nerves adjacent to oral and cervical cancers. The same structures have clearly shown immunohistochemical reactivity for the E6 oncoprotein. These results were verified by PCR applied to E6 and L1 ORFs following microscopic laser dissection of the immunohistochemically positive nerves and vessels. These observations suggest that HPV 16 DNA and protein are present in neurons and endothelial cells in the vicinity of HPV-associated tumors. The HPV 16 genome presumably exists in a non-replicating form in the neurons and constitutively produces high levels of E6 and E7 proteins with an unknown neuropathological outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Pathology, Joint Research Organization of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Tibor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Füle
authors.forename: Miklós
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Máthé
authors.forename: Zsuzsanna
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Suba
authors.forename: Zsolt
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Csapó
authors.forename: Tibor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Szarvas
authors.forename: Péter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tátrai
authors.forename: Sándor
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paku
authors.forename: Ilona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kovalszky
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000821:virology; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D009474:Neurons / Q000821:virology*; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050725:Papillomavirus E7 Proteins; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000821:virology; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000821:virology; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; C068651:E6 protein, Human papillomavirus type 16; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; D050725:Papillomavirus E7 Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C059731:oncogene protein E7, Human papillomavirus type 16