Background: HPV16 is a predominant type of virus identified in genital lesions and strongly associated with the development of genital cancers. Infection with the virus is considered to be the main risk factor in the development of cervical cancer. Based on HPV16 DNA isolated from invasive cancers, a classification of intratype genetic variants was established and the strains were designated according to geographical regions. The HPV16 variants classification was based on isolates derived from cancers.
Objectives: Analysis of HPV16 LCR variants isolated from asymptomatic carriers for comparison with cervical cancer isolates to examine whether a correlation can be found between cervical epithelium state and variant of HPV16 it carries.
Materials and methods: The HPV16 LCR fragments were amplified by PCR using DNA isolated from cervical swabs and tissue sections then screened for nucleotide changes by SSCP. Polymorphic sites were analysed for regulatory protein binding properties by EMSA.
Results: Comparison of the two groups revealed that isolates from cervical cancers predominantly carry changes in sequences of YY1 binding sites (especially at nucleotide 7519), while variants from asymptomatic carriers contained nucleotide changes within or close to transcription binding sites for AP-1, Oct-1, NF1, Tef-1, Tef-2, Sp1, YY1 and viral E2. EMSA study showed that sequence changes in the segment alter binding and formation of transcriptional complexes in quantitative and/or qualitative manner and so they may inflict viral activity.
Conclusion: The results of our study show that there might be HPV16 variants of decreased oncogenic potential therefore infection with such variants can recede.