Human papillomavirus-16 DNA methylation patterns support a causal association of the virus with oral squamous cell carcinomas.
Infection with human papillomavirus-16 (HPV-16) is the cause of most anogenital carcinomas. This virus is also detected in about 20% of all head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. While there is strong evidence for a causal etiological role in the case of tonsillar carcinomas, causal association with malignant lesions of the oral cavity is not yet conclusive. Our previous investigations of HPV-16 DNA methylation in anogenital sites have identified hypermethylation of the L1 gene and part of the long control region in many malignant lesions, but rarely in asymptomatic infections and low-grade precancerous lesions. Here, we report hypermethylation of this diagnostically important segment of the viral DNA in 10 out of 12 HPV-16 positive oral carcinomas from Mexican patients. These data indicate epigenetic changes of HPV-16 in oral carcinomas similar to those in anogenital carcinomas, suggesting carcinogenic processes under the influence of HPV-16 in most if not all of these oral malignant lesions.
Balderas-Loaeza
Adriana
A
Facultad de Quimica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México D.F., México.
Anaya-Saavedra
Gabriela
G
Ramirez-Amador
Velia A
VA
Guido-Jimenez
Miriam C
MC
Kalantari
Mina
M
Calleja-Macias
Itzel E
IE
Bernard
Hans-Ulrich
HU
Garcia-Carranca
Alejandro
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001483:Base Sequence; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000821:virology*; D018899:CpG Islands; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005260:Female; D016679:Genome, Viral; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*
D004279:DNA, Viral