Detection of human papillomavirus in epithelial lesions of the conjunctiva

MA Palazzi,MD ^a, CM Erwenne,MD ^a, LL Villa,PhD ^b

Many factors like exposure to UV radiation, climatic conditions, genetic predisposition, immunologic state and, more recently, the presence of HPV have been implied in the genesis of some lesions of the conjunctiva, specially the carcinomas. AIM: Evaluate the presence of HPV DNA in acquired lesions of the conjunctiva of 30 patients and in the normal mucosa of 60 controls, matched by age and sex. METHOD: Detection of HPV DNA in the normal conjunctiva and in acquired lesions was done by the polymerase chain reaction technique (PCR) and by dot blot hybridization. Material was collected by scraping the normal mucosa and the surface of the lesions. A fragment of fresh frozen tissue and paraffin-embedded specimens of each lesion were also included. RESULTS: Sequences of HPV DNA were detected in 4 out of 31 lesions(12,9%) and in the healthy mucosa of an individual of the control group(1,6%). The HPV type 16 was detected in 2 carcinomas and in the normal mucosa of one individual of the control group. The HPV type 11 was demonstrated in 2 papillomas of a patient with lesions in both eyes. CONCLUSIONS: The low frequency of HPV found in the epithelial lesions of our sample and the detection of the viral genome in the normal conjunctiva lead us to suggest that some conjunctival carcinomas have no association with the human papillomavirus. The etiopathogenic role of this virus in conjunctiva is yet to be established."

KEY WORDS: Human papillomavirus, epithelial lesions, conjunctiva, carcinoma.

For more information, contact palazzi@lexxa.com.br

Paper presented at the International Symposium on Predictive Oncology and Intervention Strategies; Paris, France; February 9 - 12, 2002; in the section on Viral Oncogenesis.

http://www.cancerprev.org/Journal/Issues/26/101/996/4360