Expression of p16 and hTERT protein is associated with the presence of high-risk human papillomavirus in Bowenoid papulosis.
BACKGROUND
High-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) type E6 and E7 oncoproteins contribute to oncogenesis in multiple ways by modulating the activities of host components in cell-cycle regulation including the expression of p16 protein (p16) and human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). The expression of p16 and hTERT protein in Bowenoid papulosis (BP) has not been studied.


METHODS
Biopsy samples of BP from 26 patients were subjected to in situ hybridization for various HPV strains and immunohistochemical staining for p16 and hTERT.


RESULTS
Among the 26 biopsy specimens, in situ hybridization using DNA probes for HPV 16/18 revealed positivity in 18 specimens (69.2%), one of which also showed positivity with the probes for HPV 6/11. HPV 31/33/35 was found in three specimens (11.5%). Two specimens (7.7%) were positive for unclassified HPV. Twenty-one BP specimens that were infected with hrHPV were positive for p16 and/or hTERT. Moderate or strong and diffuse immunostaining was observed for p16 in 15 hrHPV-infected specimens and for hTERT in 16 hrHPV-infected specimens. The expression of p16 or hTERT was each significantly associated with the presence of hrHPV.


CONCLUSIONS
hrHPVs were involved in inducing p16 and hTERT overexpression in BP. Moreover, our results suggested that immunohistochemical p16 and hTERT expression might be a useful marker of hrHPV infection in BP.
Liu
Houjun
H
Department of Dermatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hubei, China. liuhoujun2004@hotmail.com
Urabe
Kazunori
K
Moroi
Yoichi
Y
Yasumoto
Shinichiro
S
Kokuba
Hisashi
H
Imafuku
Shinichi
S
Koga
Tetsuya
T
Masuda
Teiichi
T
Aburatani
Hiroyuki
H
Furue
Masutaka
M
Tu
Yating
Y
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000032:analysis*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D019098:Telomerase / Q000032:analysis*
D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D019098:Telomerase