[Immunohistochemical expression of p16 and herpes simplex virus type 2 in squamous intraepithelial lesions and cervical cancer].

PURPOSE: to demonstrate the expression of biomarkers, detected by immunohistochemical techniques in healthy tissues, as well as in preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions of the uterine cervix.

METHODS

in order to evaluate the immunohistochemical reactivity of tissues from the uterine cervix to p16 and to type 2 herpes simplex virus (HSV-2), 187 samples of low-grade intraepithelial lesions (LG-IEL) and high-grade intraepithelial lesions (HG-IEL), and of uterine cervix carcinoma were compared with a group of patients without uterine cervix lesions. Statistical analysis was done by the chi2 test for trends. The significance level was alpha=0.05.

RESULTS

the reactivity to p16 was assessed showing the following distribution: group without uterine cervix lesions: 56% (24/43), LG-IEL: 92% (43/47), HG-IEL: 94% (43/46), and cancer: 98% (46/47) (p<0.001, linear trend). Concerning the HSV-2: group without uterine cervix lesions: 27% (12/45), LG-IEL: 58% (22/38), HG-IEL: 78% (35/45), and cancer: 59 % (29/49) (p<0.001, linear trend). There was an increase in the reactivity ratio for the two markers in the pathological groups (LG-IEL, HG-IEL and uterine cervix cancer, at p<0.001) compared to controls. There was no significant difference between the LG-IEL and the HG-IEL groups.

CONCLUSIONS

a progressive increase of reactivity ratios of the studied immunohistochemical markers as a function of lesion severity was observed.