HPV genotypes in the oral cavity/oropharynx of children and adolescents: cross-sectional survey in Poland

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are a very complex group of pathogenic viruses, with more than 80 types, causing human infection. Given the prevalence of HPV infection and its relationship with the development of cervical and many other cancers, HPV vaccine development has been a major public health initiative worldwide in the last decade. The aim of the presented study was to identify HPV DNA by MY-PCR in 4,150 school children and adolescents, aged 10–18 years in the Wielkopolska region, Poland. All individuals were asked to fill in extensive questionnaires; further normal, oral squamous cells were collected from each pupil. Cellular DNA was isolated and used as a MY-PCR template to estimate the incidence of HPV-active infection. Forty five subjects (1.08% of the sample) were carriers of oropharyngeal HPVs. HPV status and variables of interest, such as age, gender, socioeconomical status, and risk factors (smoking and sexual intercourse history, alcohol consumption) were not correlated. The presence of HPVs in the oral cavity was cumulated in several schools of the region. DNA sequencing of MY-PCR products revealed only four HPV genotypes. The most frequent genotype was HPV11 (38/45 HPV-positive cases), while other more rare genotypes were HPV6 (3/45), HPV12 (3/45), and HPV57 (1/45). Conclusion: Our findings presented herein, reveal a relatively low prevalance of oropharyngeal HPVs in Polish adolescents and fill an important gap in the knowledge of oral HPV infections of children above 10 years and adolescents

Detection of anti-HPV11-L1 antibodies in immune sera from patients suffering from recurrent respiratory papillomatosis using ELISA.

Infection with human papillomaviruses (mostly HPV6 and HPV11) may lead to recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP), a chronic disease affecting 2-4/100,000 people. Papillomas have to be removed surgically so patients can breathe normally. Papillomas often grow back and some patients are subjected to a number of operations. In general, asymptomatic HPV-positive people have low levels of antiviral antibodies in their sera, as the human humoral response is weak due to HPV's biology. In patients suffering from RRP who have undergone multiple surgeries, a blood-epithelium barrier breach stimulates the production of anti-HPV antibodies. Our study's aim was to produce HisTag-HPV11-L1 major capsid protein in E. coli cells, and to purify it. We also sought to detect anti-HPV11-L1 antibodies in antisera obtained from RRP patients using ELISA. Clinical samples were collected from 47 patients with RRP (antisera and papillomas), and from 32 controls (sera and oral swabs), from the Wielkopolska region of Poland. Antisera and control sera were used to coat microplates, HisTag-HPV11-L1 antigen was applied, and antibody-antigen complexes were detected by anti-HisTag monoclonal antibody in an ELISA assay. Simultaneously, total cellular DNA was extracted from papillomas and oral squamous cells obtained from controls. All DNA samples were screened for HPV DNA using MY-PCR. All patients were HPV-positive (30% for HPV6 and 70% for HPV11). Statistically significant correlations were found between the amount of anti-HPV11-L1 antibodies in the sera of RRP patients and the number of surgical procedures they underwent. Although HPV virus-like particles are most often used for anti-HPV antibody detection, the ELISA method presented herein is another viable option for use in RRP patients

Small Biopsy Samples: Are They Representative for Biphenotypic Sinonasal Sarcoma?

(1) Background: Biphenotypic sinonasal sarcoma (BSNS) is a rare low-grade neoplasm of the sinonasal tract. It is characterized by specific PAX3 gene rearrangements and both myogenic and neural differentiation. The purpose of the study was to describe the histologic, immunohistochemical and molecular features of BSNS and indicate important clues for small incisional biopsy diagnostics. (2) Methods: Archival samples from patients with nasal cavities or ethmoid sinuses tumors were searched for BSNS cases. Inclusion criteria were the presence of spindle cell morphology and low-grade appearance. Both biopsy and resection specimens were stained for identical IHC panels including, i.a., S100, SMA, SOX10 and PAX3. FISH for PAX3 and SS18 was performed on biopsy specimens. (3) Results: BSNS diagnosis was made in 6 cases included in the study and confirmed by PAX3 rearrangement by FISH in 5 specimens. The pattern of IHC expression was identical for paired biopsy and resection samples apart from one BSNS case. (4) Conclusions: Incisional biopsy seems to be a sufficient method to establish BSNS diagnosis in most cases. Characteristic morphological features together with S100, SOX10 and SMA as the screening markers are useful for confirming the diagnosis. In cases of divergent morphology and immunoprofile evaluation of PAX3 rearrangement is vital