Demonstration of human papilloma virus antigen in the condylomatous lesions of the uterine cervix by immunoperoxidase technique.

Routine histological sections of characteristic condylomas (showing dysplasia of different degrees) collected from the uterine cervix of 10 women were subjected to staining with indirect immunoperoxidase technique using antihuman papillomavirus (anti-HPV) serum to demonstrate the HPV antigens in these lesions. The anti-HPV immune serum was raised in guinea pigs immunized with highly purified viruses from a pool of skin wart lesions collected from various anatomical sites. 8 out of the 10 condylomas studied showed a definitely positive staining (brown precipitate) with the HPV anti-serum, indicating the presence of HPV antigens within the nuclei of a few cells (mostly koilocytes and dyskeratotic cells) near to the surface of the lesions. The present technique provides further confirmation to the HPV etiology of cervical condylomas, and seems to offer a definite advantage as a diagnostic tool of these lesions and other squamous cell lesions as well. The application of this technique on malignant tumors will most probably cast light on the possible role of HPV in the etiology of human squamous cell carcinomas in the near future.