Comparative study of HPV prevalence in Japanese and North-east Chinese oral carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV) plays a role in the development of oral carcinoma. However, the reported prevalence of HPV in oral carcinoma has varied widely. METHODS: The prevalence of HPV 16, 18 and 33 was investigated in Japanese and North-east Chinese oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) with polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The expression of p53 protein was examined immunohistochemically. RESULTS: HPV 16 and 18 were detected in 7 (23.3%) and 10 (33.3%) of 30 Japanese and 11 (36.7%) and 5 (16.7%) of 30 Chinese samples, respectively. HPV 16 and 18 coinfection was detected in 3/30 Japanese and 2/30 Chinese samples. HPV 33 was not detected. There was no significant correlation between HPV 16 and 18 and the sites, gender, age and histological grade. The prevalence of both HPV 16 and 18 was similar and higher in the Japanese and North-east Chinese samples (46.7% each). HPV 16 or/and 18 infection or/and p53 overexpression were in 22 (73.3%) of 30 Japanese samples and 24 (80.0%) of 30 North-east Chinese samples, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: HPV 16/18 infection or/and p53 overexpression may play an important role in developing some OSCCs. and the presence of HPV sequences and mutant p53 are not necessarily mutually exclusive.