Enhanced oncogenicity of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) variants in Japanese population

To investigate whether HPV 16 E6 variants carry an elevated risk for cervic al cancer in Japanese population, we investigated the E6 sequence variation in 40 cervical intraepithelial neoplasias (CINs) I-III and 43 invasive cer vical cancers (ICCs), all positive for HPV16. HPV16 E6 variants were freque ntly found in ICCs than in CINs (88 vs. 65%. P = 0.01). The E6 D25E, a rare variant in Western countries, was most frequently observed in ICC (44%). C IN I/II lesions with HPV 16 variants were less likely to regress than those with HPV 16 prototype (P = 0.048). The finding that HPV 16 E6 variants rep resent a significant risk factor is common between Western and Japanese wom en despite the different distribution of each variant. (C) 2000 Published b y Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.