Human papillomavirus (HPV), DNA aberrations and cell cycle progression in anal squamous cell carcinoma patients.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections of the genital tract are sexually transmitted and prevalent worldwide. In this study, the role of HPV in 72 patients with anal squamous cell carcinoma was investigated.


METHODS
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in combination with in situ hybridization was used to identify HPV-DNA in the patients' biopsies. The HPV typing was conducted by pyrosequencing. Cell cycle and DNA content were analysed by cytometry.


RESULTS
Ninety percent of the carcinoma biopsies carried high-risk oncogenic HPV in their malignant cells. Eighty-one percent of these demonstrated a single infection with HPV16, 18 or 33 and 19% were double infected with HPV16 and HPV18. Accumulations of viral genes were seen at the necrotic area of the tumours. The HPV genome in the tumour cell influenced significantly the host cell cycle progression, but not DNA aberrations. Within these patients, HPVstatus in the malignant cells was not found to be associated with patient survival time.


CONCLUSIONS
High-risk oncogenic HPV may play an important role in the initiation of host cell proliferation in anal squamous cell carcinoma. However, infection with HPV may not have any direct influence itself on the clinical outcome of these patients considering the treatments currently available.
Laytragoon-Lewin
Nongnit
N
Department of Oncology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden. nongnit.laytragoon-lewin@onkologi.uu.se
Nilsson
Per J
PJ
Castro
Juan
J
Gharizadeh
Baback
B
Nyren
Pål
P
Glimelius
Bengt
B
Elmberger
Göran
G
Turesson
Ingela
I
Svensson
Christer
C
D000368:Aged; D001005:Anus Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology*; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm