title: P16INK4A--A possible marker in HPV persistence screening.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation of p161NK4a expression levels with the cytological group of cervical carcinogenesis (NILM, ASCUS, LSIL, HSIL, cancer groups), in order to establish its value as potential diagnostic marker.
  
  
  METHODS
  The smears obtained from 50 women with/without suggestive HPV infection pathology were subjected to cytological investigations. The viral testing was based on the detection of HPV DNA using the INNOLIPA kit, while the semiquantitative expression levels of p16INK4a were estimated by RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  p16INK4a expression level was correlated with the cytological degree of cervical lesions. In LSIL patients, p16INK4a values were 1.36 times greater than in NILM subjects (p = 0.07). In HSIL/cancer patients, p16INK4a values were 2.38 times greater than in NILM patients (p = 0.002). We also noticed significant differences between ASCUS: HSIL group (p = 0.02) and LSIL: HSIL (p = 0.07) group. The p16INK4a expression level was dependent of HPV genotype, p16INK4a mRNA presence being correlated with the presence of hrHPV in low and high risk lesions.
authors.affiliation: Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, Bucharest, Romania. cbleotu@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Coralia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bleotu
authors.forename: Anca
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Botezatu
authors.forename: Cristina D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Goia
authors.forename: Demetra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Socolov
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Corniţescu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Teleman
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Huică
authors.forename: Iulia
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Iancu
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Anton
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000254:growth & development*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D012367:RNA, Viral