The role of human papillomavirus infection in prostate carcinoma

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are associated with benign and malignant lesions of the female and male anogenital tract. Currently the possible role of HPV infections in prostate carcinogenesis is a subject of great controversy. In this study we aimed to investigate the role of HPV infection in prostate carcinoma (PCa). The study included formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples of 104 primary prostate adenocarcinoma cases and 104 control tissues of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). HPV-DNA was purified and amplified through MY09/MY11 and GP5<SU+</SU/GP6<SU+</SU primers and subsequently subjected to sequencing. HPV-DNA was found in 13 of 104 (12.5%) PCa and 8 of 104 (7.7%) BPH samples. High-risk HPVs were detected in 10 of 13 (76.9%) PCa and 5 of 8 (62.5%) BPH samples with positive HPV-DNA. Low-risk HPVs were detected in 3 of 13 (23.1%) PCa and 3 of 8 (37.5%) BPH specimens with positive HPV-DNA. There was no significant difference between PCa and BPH specimens regarding HPV-DNA presence or the detection of high-risk and low-risk types of HPV. Our data do not support the role of HPV infection in prostate carcinoma. Further studies are required to elucidate the role of HPV infection in human prostate carcinogenesis.