To analyze the concomitant expression of human papillomavirus-16 in the pathogenetic model of p53-dependant pathway in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) accounts for 90% of all primary oral malignancies. Association between human papillomavirus (HPV) as a risk factor of cervical cancer is well known; there is a need to widen the knowledge for its role in oral cancer development. The viral E6 protein of HPV binds to p53 making it nonfunctional.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVE

To study mutated/wild type p53 expression using immunohistochemistry and detect HPV-16 presence using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), in OSCC and correlating their expression.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Immunohistochemical staining for p53 molecule in 24 sections of OSCC followed by DNA extraction of the cases using qiagen extraction kit and subsequent HPV-16 detection using PCR technique.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

The data were analysed using SPSS software version 19.

RESULTS

Out of 24 cases of OSCC, twenty cases were positive for P 53 expression and four cases were negative for P 53 expression. Out of the four negative cases, one case was detected positive for HPV-16.

CONCLUSION

HPV infection along with p53 expression helps in understanding its exact pathogenesis which further helps in expanding our spectrum of therapeutic modalities.