title: p16(INK4) expression is not associated with human papillomavirus in oral lichen planus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Frequencies as high as 60% of overexpressed p16(INK4) were recently reported in lichen planus (LP). Because p16(INK4) overexpression may be a feature of human papilloma virus (HPV)-induced cancer, it has been postulated that LP may be somehow related to HPV. The present study is the first to evaluate both high p16(INK4) expression and HPV in patients with LP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five consecutive biopsy specimens from patients with LP constituted the basis of the present study. Level of p16(INK4A) expression was evaluated in each sample by immunohistochemical analysis, and the presence of HPV DNA was tested by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  p16(INK4) expression was detected in 26 specimens, whereas HPV was found in 4 lesions: 3 low-risk HPV and 1 high-risk HPV. All HPV-positive lesions also indicated p16(INK4A) overexpression, whereas 22 cases of overexpressed p16(INK4A) were HPV negative (Chi square 2.6; ns).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  p16(INK4) overexpression is not correlated with HPV in patients with LP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences (DiBiNeM), University of Bologna, Section of Oral Science, Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: Lucio.montebugnoli@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Montebugnoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences (DiBiNeM), University of Bologna, Section of Oral Science, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Davide B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Gissi
authors.affiliation: Department of Specialist Diagnostic and Experimental Medicine, University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Scapoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Specialist Diagnostic and Experimental Medicine, University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palmieri
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences (DiBiNeM), University of Bologna, and M. Malpighi Section of Pathology, Bellaria Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morandi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences (DiBiNeM), University of Bologna, and M. Malpighi Section of Pathology, Bellaria Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Manelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences (DiBiNeM), University of Bologna, and M. Malpighi Section of Pathology, Bellaria Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Pia
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Foschini
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000378:metabolism*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D004279:DNA, Viral