Human papillomavirus 16 exhibits a similar integration pattern in primary squamous cell carcinoma of the penis and in its metastasis.

Abstract

Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are among the most common causes of sexually transmitted viral infections in the United States, and HPV types 16, 18, and others have been strongly linked with the development of cervical cancer. DNA from these oncogenic HPV types also has been detected in biopsy specimens of penile intraepithelial and invasive neoplasms, indicating a causal role of these viruses in the malignant transformation of these tissue. Southern blot analysis and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis were used to investigate the presence and physical state of HPV in a patient with metastatic penile carcinoma. The presence of HPV 16 DNA integrated into the host's genome was documented in a primary penile squamous cell carcinoma and its lymph node metastasis. The identical restriction endonuclease cleavage patterns for HPV 16 in both the primary tumor and its lymph node metastasis indicate that both tumors arose from a single clonal event. This finding provides evidence of a causal role of HPV in squamous cell carcinoma of male genitalia.