DETECTION OF EPIDERMODYSPLASIA VERRUCIFORMIS-LIKE HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS TYPES IN MALIGNANT AND PREMALIGNANT SKIN-LESIONS OF RENAL-TRANSPLANTRECIPIENTS

To evaluate the putative role of human papillomaviruses (HPV) in the d evelopment of skin cancer in renal transplant recipients, a series of skin biopsies from premalignant and malignant skin lesions was analyse d using the polymerase chain reaction. Four different consensus primer pairs were used. HPV DNA was detected in five of 24 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, in one of three cases of Bowen's disease, in none of four basal cell carcinomas, in two of seven cases of actinic keratosis and in one of five cases of keratoacanthoma. Typing by direct sequenc ing of the amplified HPV DNA was possible in seven of nine cases, and revealed epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV)-associated HPV types, or HPV types related to EV-associated types. Hence, HPV DNA could be det ected in a significant proportion of (pre)malignant skin tumours in re nal transplant recipients. The finding that some of the detected HPV t ypes were as yet uncharacterized EV-related types, suggests that HPV D NA could be present in a higher percentage of lesions, and might be de tected with refinement of the techniques.