Transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder: low incidence of human papillomavirus DNA detected by the polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridization

Viral studies on mammalian urothelium have shown an association between the bovine papillomavirus and cancer of the bladder in cattle. However, the evidence for human papillomavirus (HPV) involvement in urinary bladder in man is less clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between HPV DNA and transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, using the highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and non-isotopic DNA in situ hybridization on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues from 76 patients. An HPV type specific set of primers was localized on the E6-gene for HPV 16/18 DNA. The second and third set of primers were specific for HPV 6/11 DNA. A biotinylated DNA probe which recognizes HPV 6/11, 16/18, and 31/33/35 was used for in situ hybridization. Of the 76 cases investigated, PCR analysis showed positive signals in seven (9.2%) of cases–six for HPV 16 DNA, and one for HPV 16 DNA and HPV 6 DNA. Four (5.2%) were also reactive for HPV 16/18 DNA using in situ hybridization. Most transitional cell carcinomas (71.4%) associated with HPV DNA were of high pathological grade/stage. One case had koilocytosis. Our results suggest that HPV DNA in transitional cell carcinoma is probably a rare occurrence, although the finding of the high risk HPV 16 DNA may indicate a role for it in this tumour's aetiology.