DETECTION OF HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS RNA IN OVARIAN AND ENDOMETRIAL CARCINOMAS BY REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION/

The presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 and 18 transcripts was determined by reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction (PCR ) in ovarian and endometrial carcinoma tissue. HPV-16 DNA sequences we re detected in 50.0% (9/18) of the ovarian carcinomas and in 44.4 % (8 /18) of endometrial carcinomas. HPV-18 DNA sequences were found in 16. 7% (3/18) of both the ovarian and endometrial carcinomas. Using RNA-PC R analysis, we found 3 out of 9 (33.3%) of the HPV-16 DNA-positive and 1 in 3 (33.3%) of the HPV-18 DNA-positive ovarian carcinomas were tra nscriptionally active, contrary to the HPV-16 DNA-positive or HPV-18 D NA-positive endometrial carcinomas. The results suggest that HPV RNA m ay be detected in ovarian carcinomas though its biological significanc e remains to be elucidated. HPV RNA is not demonstrable in endometrial carcinoma using the current primer sets. Further investigations are n ecessary for a final conclusion.