Presence of Human Papilloma Virus in a Series of Breast Carcinoma from Argentina

Ana Laura Pereira Suarez,Mario Alejandro Lorenzetti,Paola Chabay,Melina Cohen,Hugo Gass,Pedro Gonzalez,Rene Gonzalez Lucano,Paula Martinez Vazquez,Maria V Preciado,Rui Medeiros

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0061613

Ana Laura Pereira Suarez, Mario Alejandro Lorenzetti + Show 8 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0061613

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Abstract

BackgroundThe etiology and the molecular mechanisms related to breast carcinogenesis remain poorly understood. Some recent reports have examined the role of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in this disease. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of HPV in breast cancer.MethodsSixty one fresh frozen breast cancers samples were analyzed. Samples were tested for HPV by PCR, and products were automatically sequenced. Findings were correlated with clinical and pathological characteristics.ResultsThe HPV DNA prevalence in the breast cancer samples was 26% (16/61). Clinical parameters were not statistically associated with HPV presence (p>0.05 χ2 test). Sequence analysis in a subgroup of cases indicates the prevalence of low risk HPV11, followed by high risk HPV16. We found no HPV transcriptional activity.ConclusionThe present study demonstrated for the first time in Argentina the presence of HPV in a proportion of the malignant breast tissues. This finding suggests that HPV may have a biological significance in breast carcinogenesis.

Highlights

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy in women in many populations [1], and the incidence of breast carcinoma has increased by 2.5% over the last 50 years [2]
Many risk factors have been associated with the pathogenesis of this disease; including family history, hormones, cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption [3], but the molecular mechanisms related to the breast carcinogenesis remain poorly understood
Many studies have recently suggested that certain viruses might be involved in the pathogenesis of breast cancer, such as specific types of Human papillomavirus (HPV), Epstein Barr virus (EBV) and Mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV), but viral involvement in breast carcinogenesis still remains controversial

Summary

Introduction

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy in women in many populations [1], and the incidence of breast carcinoma has increased by 2.5% over the last 50 years [2]. Many risk factors have been associated with the pathogenesis of this disease; including family history, hormones, cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption [3], but the molecular mechanisms related to the breast carcinogenesis remain poorly understood. Many studies have recently suggested that certain viruses might be involved in the pathogenesis of breast cancer, such as specific types of Human papillomavirus (HPV), Epstein Barr virus (EBV) and Mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV), but viral involvement in breast carcinogenesis still remains controversial. The etiology and the molecular mechanisms related to breast carcinogenesis remain poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of HPV in breast cancer

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Conclusion