FAILURE OF THE POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION (PCR) TO DETECT HUMAN PAPILLOMA-VIRUS (HPV) IN TRANSITIONAL-CELL CARCINOMA OF THE BLADDER

In contrast to cervical and penile carcinoma, in situ hybridization te chniques have not been able to demonstrate an association of HPV with transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder. The introduction of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the mid 1980s has significantly increased the ability to detect small quantities of viral DNA over co nventional methods. Thus, we designed a study to determine if the PCR technique was able to demonstrate the presence of HPV DNA in TCC speci mens. The study involved both consensus primers directed toward the E1 and L1 open reading frames of the HPV viral DNA, specific for HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33. Thirty-three TCC specimens were studied (Fresh: 8, paraffin embedded: 25). Seven were Grade I, nine Grade 11, seventeen Grade III; thirteen were superficial (Stages 0 and A) and twenty were invasive or metastatic (Stages B or Higher). None of the patients had known evidence of clinical HPV infection. In each experiment, the CaSk i cell line was used ofr a positive control. In addition, the results of the PCR reactions were confirmed by Southern blot hybridization. Ne ither the PCR by direct ethidium bromide viewing, nor the Southern blo t technique detected HPV DNA in any of the TCC specimens. This was in contrast to our controls, which were positive by both techniques. Alth ough it is possible that there is a link between HPV and TCC, our resu lts suggest that there is no such association among the HPV types test ed.