Human papillomavirus DNA in cutaneous primary and metastasized squamous cell carcinomas from patients with epidermodysplasia verruciformis.

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Abstract
DNA extracted from squamous cell carcinomas from patients with the chronic wart disease syndrome, epidermodysplasia verruciformis, was analyzed for the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-specific DNA sequences by Southern blot hybridization analysis. Employing an HPV probe obtained by molecular cloning of viral DNA purified from benign warts, HPV-specific nucleotide sequences were identified in squamous cell carcinomas from these patients. Restriction endonuclease mapping indicated that the DNA present in the carcinomas was of the same type (type 5) as that found in the benign tumors from these patients and was present as unintegrated, free viral DNA. HPV-5 DNA was demonstrated in a subcutaneous metastatic tumor from 1 patient. This latter observation essentially eliminates the possibility that the HPV-5 DNA present in the malignant tumors in these patients resulted from cross-contamination from an adjacent benign warty lesion. In addition to wild-type HPV-5 DNA, the primary and metastatic carcinomas also contained an HPV-5 DNA species lacking approximately 20% of the HPV-5 genome. These subgenomic forms of HPV-5 DNA could not be detected in benign papillomas from these patients.