Genetic susceptibility to HPV infection and cervical cancer

Squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix (SCCC) is one of the leading causes o f death in developing countries. Infection with high-risk human papillomavi rus (HPV) is the major risk factor to develop malignant lesions in the cerv ix. Polymorphisms of the MHC and p53 genes seem to influence the outcome of HPV infection and progression to SCCC, although controversial data have be en reported. MHC are highly polymorphic genes that encode molecules involve d in antigen presentation, playing a key role in immune regulation, while p 53 is a tumor suppressor gene that regulates cell proliferation. The HPV E6 protein from high-risk types binds p53 and mediates its degradation by the ubiquitin pathway. The role of these polymorphisms in genetic susceptibili ty to HPV infection and to SCCC remains under investigation.