Genotypic determination by PCR-RFLP of human papillomavirus in normal oral mucosa, oral leukoplakia and oral squamous cell carcinoma samples in Madrid (Spain).
BACKGROUND
Human papillomaviruses (HPVs), especially genotypes 16 and 18, are considered to be human carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). They are the most important etiological agents of uterine cervix cancer but their true role in oral carcinogenesis is controversial.


OBJECTIVE
To detect the presence of HPV genome genotypes in oral leukoplakia and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and analyze their relationship with clinicopathological variables.


METHODS
Presence of genome ofHPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 39, 42, 45, and 52 was studied by polymerase chain reaction in samples of normal mucosa (30 controls), oral leukoplakia (35 cases) and OSCC (33 cases). Results were compared between groups and differences were examined in relation to clinical and histological variables.


RESULTS
HPV genome was detected in 23.3% of controls, 45.7% of oral leukoplakias, and 39.4% of OSCCs. Only HPV-16 was significantly (p=0.0005) more frequently detected in leukoplakias (40%) and OSCCs (33.3%) versus controls (0%). No significant relationship was found between the presence of viral genome and the main clinicopathological variables.


CONCLUSIONS
According to these findings, the presence of HPV-16 is significantly associated with oral leukoplakia and OSCC lesions, therefore in our setting this virus may be a carcinogenic element in this disease.
Llamas-Martínez
Silvia
S
Departamento de Medicina y Cirugía Bucofacial, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
Esparza-Gómez
German
G
Campo-Trapero
Julián
J
Cancela-Rodríguez
Paloma
P
Bascones-Martínez
Antonio
A
Moreno-López
Luis Alberto
LA
García-Núñez
Juan Antonio
JA
Cerero-Lapiedra
Rocío
R
D000328:Adult; D052685:Alphapapillomavirus / Q000235:genetics*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D016679:Genome, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length