Oral Oncology
Volume 40, Issue 5 , Pages 520-524, May 2004

Human papillomavirus type 16 E6 and E7 genotypes in head-and-neck carcinomas

  • Markus Hoffmann

      Affiliations

    • Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Christian-Albrechts-University, Arnold-Heller-Str. 14, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
    • ,
  • Claudia Lohrey

      Affiliations

    • German Cancer Research Centre, F060, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
    • ,
  • Andreas Hunziker

      Affiliations

    • German Cancer Research Centre, V280, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
    • ,
  • Tomas Kahn

      Affiliations

    • German Cancer Research Centre, F060, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
    • Present address: Deutsche Bank AG, Expert Team Life Sciences, P7, 10-15, D-68161 Mannheim, Germany.
    • ,
  • Elisabeth Schwarz

      Affiliations

    • German Cancer Research Centre, F060, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +49-6221-424654; fax: +49-6221-424852

Received 24 October 2003; accepted 29 October 2003.

Abstract 

Human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) is associated with squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (HNSCC) particularly from the Waldeyer’s tonsillar ring. A causal role of HPV16 in carcinogenesis is linked to the activity of the viral oncoproteins E6 and E7 which inactivate the cellular tumor suppressors p53 and pRB, respectively. Lack of E6 expression in HPV16-positive HNSCC has been reported, in some cases caused by disruption of the E6 gene. We have examined the status of the HPV16 E6–E7 gene region in tumor and metastasis samples of 24 HNSCC patients employing genomic PCR. No cases with a disrupted E6–E7 region could be identified. Sequence analysis of the E6–E7 segments revealed three different HPV16 E6–E7 genotypes: the HPV16 prototype (6 of 21 cases), the E6 variant T350G (8 of 21 cases), and the E6–E7 variant A131G/C712A (7 of 21 cases). The E6 variants T350G and A131G have been associated with increased oncogenic potential in cervical cancer patients depending on host genetic factors. Their high prevalence in the HNSCC samples studied indicates that they may be important also in HNSCC development.

Keywords:  Human papillomavirus, E6, E7, Oncogene, HPV16 variant, Head-and-neck squamous carcinoma, Carcinogenesis

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PII: S1368-8375(03)00233-1

doi:10.1016/j.oraloncology.2003.10.011

Oral Oncology
Volume 40, Issue 5 , Pages 520-524, May 2004

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