P53 EXPRESSION AND GENETIC-EVIDENCE FOR VIRAL-INFECTION IN INTRAEPITHELIAL NEOPLASIA OF THE UTERINE CERVIX

Infections with high-risk strains of human papillomaviruses (HPVs) and with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV 2), as well as inactivation of the p53 tumor suppressor gene, are important cofactors in cervical car cinogenesis. We analyzed 41 paraffin-embedded cervical intraepithelial lesions, including 25 cases of low-grade cervical intraepithelia neop lasia (CIN), and 16 cases of high-grade CIN for the presence of HPV 16 /18 and HSV 2 genomic sequences and for the nuclear accumulation of th e p53 protein, HPV 16 DNA was detected in 24.% of low-grade CINs and i n 43.7% of high-grade CINs. HPV 18 was found only in 8.% of low-grade CINs. None of the cases tested scored positive for HSV 2 DNA. Nuclear accumulation of p53 was found in 4% of low-grade CINs, and in 31.2% of high-grade CINs, including 57.1% of the lesions that were positive fo r HPV 16. These results indicate that HPV 16 infection was over sixfol d more common than HPV 18 infection and that p53 overexpression was si gnificantly associated with high-grade lesions. (C) 1994 Academic Pres s, Inc.