The oral cavity contains a wide spectrum of HPV types predominantly from the β-HPV and γ-HPV genera, which were previously considered to be cutaneous types. These results could have significant implications for understanding the biology of HPV and the epidemiological associations of HPV with oral and skin neoplasia.

Detection of human papillomavirus in head and neck cancer has therapeutic implications. In-situ hybridization and immuno-histochemistry for p16 are used by surgical pathologists. We compared the sensitivity and specificity of three popular commercial tests for human papillomavirus detection in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas to a “gold standard” human papillomavirus PCR assay. One hundred-and-ten prospectively collected, formalin fixed tumor specimens were compiled onto tissue microarrays and tested for human papillomavirus DNA by in-situ hybridization with two probe sets: a biotinylated probe for high-risk human papillomavirus types 16/18 (Dako, CA), and a probe cocktail for 16/18 plus 10 additional high-risk types (Ventana, AZ). P16INK4 expression was also assessed using a Pharmingen immuno-histochemistry antibody (BD Biosciences, CA). Tissue microarrays were stained and scored at expert laboratories. Human papillomavirus DNA was detected by MY09/11-PCR using Gold AmpliTaq and dot-blot hybridization on matched fresh frozen specimens in a research laboratory. Human papillomavirus 16 E6 and E7-RNA expression was also measured using RT-PCR. Test performance was assessed by receiver operating characteristic analysis. High-risk human papillomavirus DNA types 16, 18 and 35 were detected by MY-PCR in 28% of tumors, with the majority (97%) testing positive for type 16. Compared to MY-PCR, the sensitivity and specificity for high-risk human papillomavirus DNA detection with Dako in-situ hybridization was 21% (95%CI:7–42) and 100% (95%CI:93–100), respectively. Corresponding test results by Ventana in-situ hybridization were 59% (95%CI:39–78) and 58% (95%CI:45–71), respectively. P16 immuno-histochemistry performed better overall than Dako (p=0.042) and Ventana (p=0.055), with a sensitivity of 52% (95%CI:32–71) and specificity of 93% (95%CI:84–98). Compared to a gold standard human papillomavirus PCR assays, HPV detection by in-situ hybridization was less accurate for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma on tissue microarrays than p16 immuno-histochemistry. Further testing is warranted before these assays should be recommended for clinical human papillomavirus detection.

Epidemiological and laboratory evidence indicate that, in addition to tobacco and alcohol, human papillomaviruses (HPV) play an important aetiological role in a subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). To evaluate the molecular pathogenesis of HPV-infected HNSCC, we compared gene expression patterns between HPV-positive and -negative HNSCC tumours using cDNA microarrays. Tumour tissue was collected from 42 histologically confirmed HNSCC patients from an inner-city area of New York. Total DNA and RNA were extracted and purified from frozen tumour samples and gene expression levels were compared to a universal human reference RNA standard using a 27 323 cDNA microarray chip. HPV detection and genotyping were performed using an MY09/11-PCR system and RT-PCR. HPV was detected in 29% of HNSCC tumours. Most harboured only HPV16 and expressed the HPV16-E6 oncogene. HPV prevalence was highest in pharyngeal tumours (45%). Gene expression patterns that differentiated HPV-positive from negative tumours were compared by supervised classification analysis, and a multiple-gene signature was found to predict HPV16 prevalence in primary HNSCC with a false discovery rate < 0.2. Focusing on never-smokers, we further identified a distinct subset of 123 genes that were specifically dysregulated in HPV16-positive HNSCC. Overexpressed genes in HPV-positive HNSCC tumours included the retinoblastoma-binding protein (p18), replication factor-C gene, and an E2F-dimerization partner transcription factor (TFDP2) that have also been found to be overexpressed in cervical cancer. An additional subset of genes involved in viral defence and immune response, including interleukins and interferon-induced proteins, was found to be down-regulated in HPV-positive tumours, supporting a characteristic and unique transcriptional profile in HPV-induced HNSCC.

Background The human papillomavirus (HPV) Persistence and Progression Cohort is a natural history study of carcinogenic HPV positive women. Here, we present the HPV genotypes found in first ∼500 cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 (CIN3) or more severe disease (CIN3+) diagnosed at the study baseline. Methods Women aged 30 and older were screened for cervical cancer using Pap smears and tested for carcinogenic HPV using Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2; Qiagen). We randomly selected women who tested HPV positive and were diagnosed with CIN3+ (n = 448) or without CIN3+ (