Presence and activity of HPV in primary lung cancer

• Published in: Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology Vol. 144; no. 12; pp. 2367 - 2376
• Main Authors: de Oliveira, Talita Helena Araujo, do Amaral, Carolina Medeiros, de França São Marcos, Bianca, Nascimento, Kamylla Conceição Gomes, de Miranda Rios, Ana Carine, Quixabeira, Dafne Carolina Alves, Muniz, Maria Tereza Cartaxo, Silva Neto, Jacinto da Costa, de Freitas, Antonio Carlos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.12.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Cancer Research; Carcinogenesis; Cervical cancer; Cervix; Child; Female; Genotypes; Hematology; Human papillomavirus; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Internal Medicine; Lung cancer; Lung Neoplasms - etiology; Lung Neoplasms - metabolism; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Oncogene Proteins, Viral - genetics; Oncogene Proteins, Viral - metabolism; Oncology; Original Article – Cancer Research; Papillomaviridae - classification; Papillomaviridae - genetics; Papillomavirus E7 Proteins - genetics; Papillomavirus E7 Proteins - metabolism; Papillomavirus Infections - complications; Papillomavirus Infections - virology; Squamous cell carcinoma; Tumor cells; Tumors; Young Adult; Oncoproteins; Carcinogenesis; Lung carcinoma; Human Papillomavirus
• ISSN: 0171-5216; 1432-1335
• DOI: 10.1007/s00432-018-2748-8

Purpose Evaluate the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in biopsies of Brazilian patients with lung cancer and also the expression of the E6 and E7 oncoproteins. HPV is widely known as an important condition for cervical cancer although evidence today shows it is associated with several other types of cancer and may also be involved in lung cancer development. However, there are some divergences regarding the presence and activity of HPV in lung carcinogenesis. Methods The detection of HPV was performed by PCR, followed by genotype and immunohistochemical evaluation of E6 and E7 HPV type specific, from 63 patients. Results HPV was found to be present in 33 of the 63 samples, and types 16 and 18 were detected with frequencies of 81% (27/33) and 19% (6/33), respectively. About the presence of the virus in different histological types of tumors, HPV was detected in squamous cell carcinoma (39.39%), followed by adenocarcinoma (33.33%) and small cell carcinoma (18.18%) and large cell carcinoma (9.1%). The presence of the E6 (antibody anti-HPV 16 and anti-HPV 18) and E7 (antibody anti-HPV 16 and anti-HPV 18) oncoproteins was detected by immunohistochemical stain technique in 28/33 samples and 25/33 samples, respectively. Conclusions Our results suggest that the lung tumor patients have high prevalence of HPV and the virus is not only present but also active in tumor cells. Therefore, the HPV is probably playing a role in lung carcinogenesis.