Molecular cloning of DNA sequences from cervical intraepithelial neoplasia that hybridize to human cytomegalovirus DNA.

We have prepared EMBL3 libraries of DNA extracted from the cervix of a patient with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and isolated seven recombinant clones containing sequences that hybridize to human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) DNA. Restriction analysis of one clone with BamHI and SalI endonucleases revealed that the insert DNA showed a high degree of homology to the HCMV Ad169 genome over the region between the HindIII K/E site and the SalI site located within the BamHI P fragment. The HCMV insert in the CIN clone is integrated and flanked by cellular sequences. The major immediate early gene that encodes a polypeptide of approximately 69 kD was found to be conserved in the CIN clone. Transfection of clones encoding the immediate early region of HCMV resulted in cells that were positive in immunofluorescence studies with two monoclonal antibodies directed against the HCMV 69 kD immediate early polypeptide. Infection of human ectocervical cells with HCMV Ad169 revealed that they could express the 69 kD polypeptide encoded by the immediate early gene but could not replicate the virus, whereas HCMV was able to replicate productively in cultured endocervical cells. HCMV has been shown to activate endogenous retroviruses and also to transcriptionally activate the long terminal repeat of human immunodeficiency virus. Activation of virus and cellular genes by HCMV may be a means by which this virus is involved in the multistage process of oncogenesis and/or the activation of latent infections.