PRESENCE OF HUMAN PAPILLOMA-VIRUS IN TRANSITIONAL-CELL CARCINOMA IN JEWISH POPULATION IN ISRAEL

The possible causal association of human papilloma virus (HPV) with tr ansitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the urinary bladder in Israeli Jewi sh patients was assessed. One hundred and ten histopathological TCC se ctions were examined by peroxidase anti-peroxidase (PAP) method. HPV c apsid antigen was demonstrated in 19 out of 110 cases (17.3%). HPV-DNA sequences, determined by in situ DNA-DNA hybridization at high string ency wash were present in 24 cases (21.8%): 16 (14.5%) cases proved to be HPV6/11 and 8 (7.3%) were HPV 16/18 positive. Four (3.6%) of the H PV 6/11 positive specimens cross hybridized with HPV 31/33/35 at low s tringency conditions. Sixteen samples known to be positive by in situ hybridization were reconfirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Whe n the PCR was performed on the 43 negative cases, an additional 4(9.3% ) HPV positive cases were revealed: two proved to be HPV 6/11 and two HPV 16/18. Comparison of the different methods for HPV detection in 59 TCC histopathological samples, showed good correlation; an overall po sitivity of 33.9% by PCR, 27.1% by in situ hybridization and 25.4% by PAP was observed. Forty one samples from nontumoral material of the bl adder or post mortem specimens served as controls and 4.8% HPV DNA was present in only two cases: one HPV 6/11 and one 16/18. Hence, HPV in TCC of the bladder is detected at a relatively high frequency and migh t be involved in the pathogenesis of this tumor among Jewish populatio n in Israel.