DISRUPTION OF THE E1 AND E2 READING FRAMES OF HPV-16 IN CERVICAL-CARCINOMA IS ASSOCIATED WITH POOR-PROGNOSIS

The E1 and E2 reading frames of 158 cervical carcinoma samples contain ing human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 were mapped using polymerase chain r eaction (PCR). The reading frames were amplified using primers spannin g the entire genes. Of the analyzed samples, 23% showed no amplificati on with the E1 primers and 29% showed no amplification with the E2 pri mers. There was an overlap, but not complete identity, between the E1- and E2-disrupted groups. All E1- and E2-negative samples were further analyzed with primers spanning subsections of the E1 and E2 reading f rames, which together covered the entire genes. Of the 35 samples nega tive for E1, 11 were positive in specific amplification of the 3' end of the E1 gene. Several different subsections of E2 could be amplified from most samples negative for the entire gene (37/46). Five classes of patterns were found, in which either all subsections of the E2 gene or subsections in the 5', middle, or 3' end were disrupted. Although a variable pattern of disruption/deletion In the E1-E2 area of the HPV 16 genome was found in cervical carcinoma, the 5' end disruption was the most common one in both E1 and E2. Patients with carcinomas showin g disruptions in E1/E2 had a poorer survival than those without such c hanges, and E1 disruptions were the most important prognostically.