Interaction between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and high risk human papillomavirus infection on cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and high risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection and their interaction on the progression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Methods: A total of 486 patients, including 208 women with normal cervix (NC), 154 patients with low-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasm (CINⅠ), 124 patients with high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasm (CINⅡ/Ⅲ), were selected from the cervical lesions cohort from June to December, 2014. HR-HPV was detected by using flow-through hybridization technology and the urine concentration of 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) was detected with high performance liquid chromatography. By using software SPSS 22.0, the χ(2) test, trend χ(2) test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, Nemenyi rank test and Spearman rank correlation analysis were performed. And the interaction effects were evaluated by additive model. Results: The HR-HPV infection rates in NC, CINⅠ and CINⅡ/Ⅲ groups were 27.9%, 37.0% and 58.9%, respectively. The urine concentrations of 1-OHP (μmol/molCr) were 0.07±0.09, 0.11±0.10 and 0.17±0.15, respectively. With increasing severity of the cervical lesions, the HR-HPV infection rate gradually increased (trend χ(2)=29.89, P<0.001) and the high exposure rate of PAHs gradually increased (trend χ(2)=27.94, P<0.001). HR-HPV infection was positively correlated with 1-OHP exposure (r=0.680, P<0.001). There was a positive additive interaction between HPV infection and PAHs exposure in CIN Ⅱ/Ⅲ group, but it was not found in CIN Ⅰ group. Conclusion: Both HR-HPV infection and high exposure of PAHs might increase the risk of cervical intraepithelial neoplasm, and might have a synergistic effect on the progression of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.