ASSOCIATION OF HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS WITH MALIGNANT AND PREMALIGNANT LESIONS OF THE UTERINE ENDOMETRIUM

The possible association of human papillomavirus (HPV) with endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial adenocarcinoma was investigated, DNA from frozen tissues of 30 endometrioid carcinomas of Japanese patients was tested for HPV DNA by Southern blot hybridization analysis. Screening with HPV type 58 probe under low stringency conditions showed the presence of HPV DNA in two of 30 endometrioid carcinomas. High stringency hybridization identified HPV type 16 in the two positive specimens. The presence of HPV was further analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-Southern blot analysis of DNA from archival tissue blocks of the initial 30 endometrioid carcinomas as well, as an additional 17 endometrioid carcinomas and 13 atypical hyperplasias of the endometrium from Japan and 38 endometrioid carcinomas from the United States. Polymerase chain reaction amplification using type 16-specific HPV primers for a portion of the E6 open reading frame was positive in six of 47 (13%) endometrioid carcinomas from Japan, including two in which HPV 16 was not detected by Southern blot analysis and two of 38 (5%) endometrioid carcinomas from the United States. Polymerase chain reaction amplification using L1 consensus sequence primers Has positive for HPV in two of 13 (15%) endometrial hyperplasias, 13 of 47 (28%) endometrioid carcinomas from Japan, and six of 38 (16%) endometrioid carcinomas from the United States. Slot blot hybridization identified HPV type 16 in seven of the L1 PCR products, including all but one specimen testing positive for HPV type, 16 using E6 type specific primers. In situ hybridization was positive for HPVs 16/18 in glandular epithelial humor cells in six of the PCR-positive specimens. An additional specimen showed staining for HPVs 16/18 in acellular luminal debris in association with squamous metaplasia of the tumor, but staining was negative in the glandular cells of the tumor. Human papillomavirus was not detected by in situ hybridization in the remaining specimen, which was PCR positive for HPV 16. In situ hybridization was weakly positive for HPVs 31/33/35 in one specimen and was weakly positive for HPVs 6/11 in benign endometrial epithelial cells but not in tumor cells of another specimen that tested positive for HPV by L1 PCR. Two dimensional gel electrophoresis performed on two specimens showed that HPV DNAs were integrated into cellular DNA with no episomal coexistence. These findings suggest that HPV, especially HPV 16, may play an etiologic role in a fraction of endometrioid adenocarcinomas. Copyright (C) 1995 by W.B. Saunders Company