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. 2018 Dec:6:63-69.
doi: 10.1016/j.pvr.2018.10.008. Epub 2018 Nov 2.

HPV16 viral characteristics in primary, recurrent and metastatic vulvar carcinoma

Gabriella Lillsunde Larsson  1 , Malin Kaliff  2 , Bengt Sorbe  3 , Gisela Helenius  2 , Mats G Karlsson  2
Affiliations

HPV16 viral characteristics in primary, recurrent and metastatic vulvar carcinoma

Gabriella Lillsunde Larsson et al. Papillomavirus Res. 2018 Dec.

Abstract

Vulvar carcinoma is the fourth most common gynecological malignancy. Two separate carcinogenic pathways are suggested, where one is associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV16 the most common genotype. The aim of this study was to evaluate HPV-markers in a set of primary tumors, metastases and recurrent lesions of vulvar squamous cell carcinomas (VSCC). Ten HPV16-positive VSCC with metastatic regional lymph nodes, distant lymphoid/hematogenous metastases or local recurrent lesions were investigated for HPV genotype, HPV16 variant, HPV16 viral load, HPV16 integration and HPV16 E2BS3 and 4 methylation. In all 10 analyzed case series, the same HPV genotype (HPV16), HPV16 variant and level of viral load were detected in all lesions within a patient case. Primary tumors with a high E2/E6 ratio were found to have fewer vulvar recurrences and/or metastases after diagnosis and treatment. Also, a significantly lower viral load was evident in regional lymph nodes compared to primary tumors. The data presented strengthens the evidence for a clonal HPV-induced pathway for vulvar carcinoma.

Keywords: Human papillomavirus; Integration; Metastases; Recurrences; Viral load; Vulvar carcinoma.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Groups for evaluation of viral characteristics in relation to time or biology. Two different approaches were used to investigate differences in viral characteristics between lesions at presentation compared to lesions detected after disease-free intervals (left) as well as to compare viral characteristics between primary VSCC and all other lesions (right) in a biological approach.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Distribution of viral load among lesions in patients 1–10. Logarithmic scale. Viral load presented as HPV16 E6 copies in 20 ng of total DNA. Time points refer to the lesions in the order they were diagnosed.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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