Detection of human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 and 52b in cervical cancer tissues by Southern blot hybridization and polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

DNA samples from cancer tissues diagnosed histologically as squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix were examined for the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) genome DNA by Southern blot hybridization. Of 63 specimens, 32 were found to hybridize with HPV DNA probes; 23 specimens (35%) with HPV type 16 (HPV16), one (2%) with HPV type 18 (HPV18), four (7%) with HPV type 52b (HPV52b), and four others (7%) weakly with HPV52b. Specimens negative for HPV DNA with Southern blot hybridization were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to determine the presence of HPV DNA under more sensitive conditions. After PCR using one set of primers specific for HPV16 and HPV52b, 7 out of 31 specimens were found to have HPV16 DNA. None was positive for HPV52b DNA. Our results indicate that HPV52b, as well as HPV16 and HPV18, is associated with squamous cell carcinoma of uterine cervix, and more sensitive determination of HPV infection can be made by amplification of the viral genome by PCR.