VIRAL GENE DETECTION IN ORAL NEOPLASMS USING THE POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION

Eighty-four squamous cell proliferative lesions of the oral cavity and six examples of normal oral squamous mucosa were investigated for the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) by the polymerase chain reacti on (PCR) using universal primers and type specific probes. Human papil lomavirus was identified in 1 of 6 histologically normal biopsy specim ens, 2 of 4 hyperplasias, 2 of 5 inflammatory lesions, 9 of 36 cases o f dysplasia or carcinoma in situ, and 7 of 39 carcinomas. All of the s pecimens found positive for HPV using the PCR were confirmed using slo t blot hybridizations. All HPV-positive cases contained HPV 16. In add ition, 2 were co-infected with HPV 11 and 1 was co-infected with HPV 1 8. Types 6 and 33 were not found. The same genotypes that infect the u terine cervix also were found in the oral cavity. This is the first ti me universal primers that allow for the detection of HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 40, 42, 45, 51-59, and at least 25 other novel types have been used on oral tumors, and represents the largest numbe r of oral samples analyzed by the PCR at this time. Due to lack of cle ar correlation between HPV infection and histologic findings, however, the role of this virus in oral carcinogenesis remains uncertain.