Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma): a possible prognostic marker for clearance of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV).
OBJECTIVE
The goal of this study was to identify cytokines that may predict high-risk HPV clearance or persistence in untreated patients with mild dysplasia or less of the uterine cervix.


METHODS
A prospective analysis was performed on 57 patients who harbored high-risk HPV with histologically verified mild dysplasia or less between May 2005 and March 2006. All patients underwent follow-up evaluation at 12 months. Real-time PCR was used to quantify interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-10 (IL-10), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) transcripts. Hybrid Capture II testing was used to detect HPV DNA.


RESULTS
Among the 57 patients that were untreated with mild dysplasia, or less, 46 (80.7%) had no detectable HPV after 12 months of follow-up. Univariate analysis showed that a negative HPV test, of untreated mild dysplasia or less, occurred in 93.3% (28/30) of patients who were IFN-gamma-positive and in 66.7% (18/27) of patients who were IFN-gamma-negative (P=0.0109). Other factors such as age, lesion grade in the colposcopic biopsy, IL-10, IL-6, TNF-alpha, day of menstrual cycle, smoking, and use of oral contraceptives were not significantly associated with high-risk HPV negative or positive results after 12-months of follow-up in patients with untreated mild dysplasia or less. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that only IFN-gamma-positive results were significantly associated with clearance of high-risk HPV after 12 months of follow-up (OR: 8.26; 95% CI: 1.24-54.94).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that intralesional IFN-gamma may be a prognostic marker for clearance of high-risk HPV.
Song
Seung-Hun
SH
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sun General Hospital, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
Lee
Jae-Kwan
JK
Lee
Nak-Woo
NW
Saw
Ho-Suk
HS
Kang
Jae-Sung
JS
Lee
Kyu-Wan
KW
D000328:Adult; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000276:immunology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*
D016207:Cytokines; D004279:DNA, Viral; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma