EXTRACHROMOSOMAL HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS (HPV) IN MULTIPLE-MYELOMA AND MONOCLONAL GAMMOPATHY OF UNKNOWN SIGNIFICANCE (MGUS) PATIENTS

There are over 75 different types of human papillomavirus (HPV). Certa in types have a strong association with cervical dysplasias. We have p reviously identified HPV in a chronic benign plasma cell tumor of the cervix, multiple myelomas and monoclonal gammopathy of unknown signifi cance (MGUS). Since HPV is believed to replicate only in differentiate d keratinocytes, we examined these tissues to identify any possible re plicative forms. We used genomic Southern analysis and PCR to determin e the physical state of the virus. We identified episomal forms in bot h the malignant and premalignant stages of B cell diseases. These data provide definitive proof of episomal HPV sequences in lymphoid tissue s and question the current dogma that HPV is permissive only in termin ally differentiated squamous cells.