ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To investigate the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in cervical samples of pregnant and non-pregnant women in South-Brazil. METHODS: A prospective study of 91 pregnant and 92 non-pregnant women with no previous history of cervical dysplasia or cancer was carried out. Cervical samples for HPV testing and cytology were collected in each trimester of pregnancy and in the puerperium for pregnant women and at matched intervals for the non-pregnant women. All samples were analyzed through PCR with consensus primers GP5+/GP6+. Genotyping was performed using specific primers. To control for confounding factors, the analysis of multivariate logistic regression was applied. The measure of odds ratio (OR) and the 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI) were used. The level of statistical significance was set at 5 % (P ≤ 0.05). RESULTS: HPV DNA was detected in 23/91 (25.3 %) cervical samples from the pregnant women and in 12/92 (13 %) cervical samples from non-pregnant women (P = 0.035). There was a significant association among cervical HPV infection and young age, number of lifetime sexual partners, and the presence of abnormal cervical cytology. HPV16 and HPV18 were the viral types more frequently detected. Out of the 23 HPV-positive pregnant women, 17 (73.9 %) had normal cervical cytology. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest a higher prevalence of HPV infection in pregnant vs. non-pregnant women. This finding may be related to the relative immunosuppression observed in pregnant women, outlining the importance of the appropriate monitoring of the viral infection in this specific population.
Subject(s)
DNA, Viral/analysis , Papillomaviridae/genetics , Papillomavirus Infections/epidemiology , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/epidemiology , Adult , Brazil/epidemiology , Female , Genotype , Human papillomavirus 16/genetics , Humans , Logistic Models , Middle Aged , Multivariate Analysis , Papillomaviridae/isolation & purification , Papillomavirus Infections/genetics , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/microbiology , Pregnant Women , Prevalence , Prospective Studies , Vaginal Smears , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: A common Arg/Pro polymorphism at codon 72 of the TP53 gene has been investigated as a risk factor for cancer in different populations. So far, the results have been controversial. Our purpose was to investigate the association of this polymorphism with breast carcinoma in women from Southern Brazil, a high-risk area for breast cancer. METHODS: Blood samples collected from 118 women with primary breast carcinoma and from 202 female blood donors were analyzed through polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and DNA sequencing. RESULTS: The relative frequency of each allele was 0.75 for Arg and 0.25 for Pro in patients with cancer, and 0.62 for Arg and 0.38 for Pro in normal controls (P < 0.001). The Arg/Arg genotype was significantly associated with an increased risk for breast cancer (OR 2.9; 95% CI 1.43-3.6; P < 0.002). No correlation between the genotype distribution and specific prognostic predictors for the disease outcome was observed. DISCUSSION: TP53 codon 72 polymorphism might be implicated in breast carcinogenesis, with the Arg/Arg genotype being associated with an increased susceptibility for this malignancy.
Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/genetics , Carcinoma, Ductal/genetics , Carcinoma, Lobular/genetics , Genes, p53 , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Polymorphism, Genetic , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Alleles , Arginine/genetics , Brazil/epidemiology , Breast Neoplasms/epidemiology , Carcinoma, Ductal/epidemiology , Carcinoma, Lobular/epidemiology , Codon , Female , Genotype , Humans , Middle Aged , Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length , Proline/genetics , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA has been detected in breast carcinoma by different laboratorial techniques, suggesting the virus could play a role in the pathogenesis of this tumor. The aim of the present study is to investigate the presence of HPV in patients with breast carcinoma and the correlation of the viral infection with prognostic factors for the disease outcome. Between June 2001 and July 2002, 101 paraffin embedded breast carcinoma specimens were analyzed through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing of HPV-E6 gene. Twenty specimens of reduction mammoplasty and 21 specimens of fibroadenomas were also studied as a non-malignant control group. Two different specific primer sets targeting E6 region of the HPVs 16 and 18 were used for the analysis. The HPV DNA was detected in 25 breast carcinomas (24.75%), but in none of the benign breast specimens ( p < 0.001). Out of the 25 positive cases, 14 were HPV-16 positive (56%) and 10 were HPV-18 positive (40%). An original finding was the detection of both HPV-16 and -18 in a single tumor (4%). The amplified viral sequences confirmed the presence of HPV-16 and -18. No correlation between the presence of HPV DNA and specific prognostic predictors for the disease outcome was observed. Our results suggest that the presence in the breast of either HPV-16 or -18 might be related to development of the malignant phenotype. Further studies are warranted.