Correlation of HPV16 L1 capsid protein expression in cervical dysplasia with HPV16 DNA concentration, HPV16 E6*I mRNA and histologic outcome.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the absence ofHPV1i6 LI capsid protein is a prognostic parameter for the histologic outcome of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2+ in cytologically diagnosed cervical dysplasia.


METHODS
Papanicolaou-stained microscopic slides of 95 HPV16-positive cervical samples that had a cytologic diagnosis of cervical dysplasia or borderline cytology were immunostained using an HPV16-specific anti-L1 viral capsid antibody. In parallel to the cytologic examination, HPV16 DNA and E6*I mRNA were quantitated using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Expression of L1 protein was correlated with relative levels of HPV16 DNA and E6*I mRNA as well as histologic diagnoses/cytologic follow-up.


RESULTS
Thirty-five cases with a histologic diagnosis of CIN 2+ (61%) were negative for HPV16 L1 protein; 22 (39%) were positive. Of the cases that either were CIN 1 or regressed to normal cytology, 10 cases (26%) were positive for HPV16 L1 protein, while 28 (74%) were negative. L1-negative and L1-positive cases showed no statistically significant difference (p = 0.22) in their histologic diagnosis/cytologic follow-up. The positive predictive value for CIN 2+ was 56% if L1 protein was absent; the negative predictivre value for CIN 1/regression to normal cytology was 31% if L1 protein was present. HPV16 Ll-positive cases had significantly higher HPV16 DNA concentrations than L1-negative cases (p < 0.001), while levels of HPV16 E6*I mRNA were comparable in both types of cases (p = 0.36).


CONCLUSIONS
The expression of HPV16 L1 capsid protein is correlated with viral DNA load but does not predict the histologic outcome of HPV16-positive cervical dysplasia.
Kösel
Siegfried
S
Labor Becker, Olgemöller und Kollegen, Munich, Germany. s.koesel@labor-bo.de
Burggraf
Siegfried
S
Engelhardt
Werner
W
Olgemöller
Bernhard
B
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000378:metabolism*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*
D015415:Biomarkers; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D004279:DNA, Viral; C068651:E6 protein, Human papillomavirus type 16; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C063317:L1 protein, Human papillomavirus type 16