High-risk human papillomavirus E7 oncoprotein detection in cervical squamous cell carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Persistent infections by high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types are the main etiologic factor for cervical cancer. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether high-risk E7 oncoprotein is adequate as a marker for the detection of cervical cancer.


METHODS
HPV typing was done in biopsies from 58 cervical carcinoma and 22 normal cervical squamous epithelia. The HPV-16 E7, HPV-18 E7, and HPV-45 E7 oncoprotein levels were monitored by immunohistochemistry and compared with those of p16(INK4a) and Ki67.


RESULTS
Fifty-five (94.8%) tumors were high-risk HPV-DNA-positive (46 HPV-16, 2 HPV-16 and HPV-18, 4 HPV-18, 1 HPV-33, and 2 HPV-45). HPV-DNA could not be detected in three tumors (5.2%). High HPV E7 oncoprotein levels were shown in 57 cervical cancers (98.3%), without correlation between expression levels and tumor stages.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first study which systematically analyzes the levels of the major HPV oncoproteins in cervical carcinomas demonstrating that the high-risk HPV E7 proteins are regularly expressed in these cancers. This suggests that high-risk E7 oncoproteins are necessary for cervical cancers and apparently essential as tumor marker.
Cell Metabolism and Differentiation Research Group, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Sigrun
S
Ressler
René
R
Scheiden
Kerstin
K
Dreier
Andreas
A
Laich
Elisabeth
E
Müller-Holzner
Haymo
H
Pircher
Dieter
D
Morandell
Ines
I
Stein
Hans-Peter
HP
Viertler
Frédéric R
FR
Santer
Andreas
A
Widschwendter
Jos
J
Even
Pidder
P
Jansen-Dürr
Catherine
C
Capesius
Werner
W
Zwerschke
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000378:metabolism; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D050725:Papillomavirus E7 Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D004279:DNA, Viral; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D050725:Papillomavirus E7 Proteins