Prevalência do herpes-vírus humano tipo 1 em neoplasias cutâneas epiteliais malignas / Prevalence of human herpes virus type 1 in epithelial skin cancer

FUNDAMENTOS - O DNA viral pode atuar como oncogene, favorecendo o desenvolvimento de neoplasias, como as linfoides e da pele. Entre esses vírus, encontram-se alguns herpes-vírus humanos. OBJETIVO - Identificar a presença de DNA do herpes-vírus humano tipo 1 em neoplasias epiteliais pré-malignas,malignas e pele normal de indivíduos controle, avaliando seu papel na carcinogênese. MÉTODOS - Identificação, por reação em cadeia da polimerase, do DNA viral do tumor e pele sã de 41 pacientes e comparação com grupo controle, sem neoplasia. Análise estatística: Testes de Fisher e de McNemar. RESULTADOS - O vírus foi identificado em 20 indivíduos sem e em 21 com neoplasia. Destes últimos, 11 o expessaram apenas nas células tumorais. A diferença, entretanto, não foi estatisticamente significante. CONCLUSÕES - Parece não haver relação direta entre o encontro do DNA viral na pele sã e na pele tumoral. Sua presença pode facilitar o desenvolvimento da neoplasia ou apenas coincidir de se localizar onde esta já ocorreu.

BACKGROUND - Viral DNA may act as an oncogene, especially in skin and lymphoid organs. This group includes some human herpes virus. OBJECTIVE - To identify human herpes virus type 1 DNA in pre-malignant and malignant skin samples of epithelial tumors comparing to normal skin to determine its role in carcinogenesis. METHODS - Forty-one patients with epithelial tumors were submitted to biopsies from tumor and normal skin. The control group comprised 41 biopsies from patients with other dermatoses than cancer. After DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction was performed to identify 199-bp band. The results were statistically evaluated by Fisher and McNemar tests. RESULTS - The virus was identified in 20 subjects without cancer and in 21 with skin cancer. From these, 11 expressed it only in tumor cells. This difference was not significant. CONCLUSION - There seem to be no direct relation between viral findings in normal skin and skin cancer cells. It may act as a promoter or just coexist at the same site where a neoplastic transformation has already occurred.

Detección de virus papiloma humano (mucoso y asociado a epidermodisplasia verruciforme) en carcinomas basocelulares y espinocelulares cutáneos de pacientes inmunocompetentes / Detection of human papillomavirus in basal and squamous cell carcinoma of immunocompetent patients

Estudios epidemiológicos y experimentales han confirmado el rol del Virus Papiloma Humano (VPH) en la patogénesis del cáncer de piel no melanoma (CCNM) en pacientes inmunosuprimidos, con epidermodisplasia verruciforme (EV) y en pacientes trasplantados. El rol que juega este virus en pacientes inmunocompetentes está aún por ser demostrado. Objetivos: Determinar la presencia de VPH mucosos y EV relacionados en tumores cutáneos no melanoma, queratosis actínicas y en piel sana de pacientes inmunocompetentes.Material y Métodos: Se analizaron 19 biopsias de tumores de 18 pacientes con carcinomas basocelulares, 10 biopsias de 4 pacientes con carcinomas espinocelulares, 4 biopsias de 3 pacientes con queratosis actínicas; y 33 biopsias de piel perilesional de nevos extirpados de 33 sujetos control. Todas estas muestras fueron analizadas mediante PCR usando primers estandarizados para la búsqueda de VPH mucosos (partidores GP5+/GP6+) y EV-VPH (partidores CP65-CP70 y CP66-CP69). Resultados: No se detectaron VPH mucosos ni EV relacionados en ninguna de las muestras analizadas.Discusión: Las biopsias de los pacientes inmunocompetentes no se asociaron a una infección detectable por VPH. Este estudio no apoya la asociación en nuestra población entre la infección por VPH y el desarrollo de cáncer de piel no melanoma en sujetos inmunocompetentes.

Epidemiological and experimental studies have confirmed the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the pathogenesis of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) in immunosuppressed patients, in patients with epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV), and in recipients of organ transplant. The role of this virus has not yet been demonstrated in immunocompetent patients. Objectives: To determine the presence of mucosal HPV and EV-HPV in non-melanoma cutaneous tumors, actinic keratosis and healthy skin in immunocompetent patients.Methods: 19 tumor biopsies (fresh frozen tissue) from 18 patients with basal cell carcinoma, 10 biopsies from 4 patients with squamous cell carcinoma, and 4 biopsies from 3 patients with actinic keratosis, as well as 33 biopsies of perilesional skin from nevi from 33 control subjects. All samples were analyzed via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using standardized consensus primers for the detection of mucosal HPV (GP5+/GP6+) and EV-HPV (CP65-CP70 and CP66-CP69). Results: Mucosal HPV and EV- HPV were not detected in any of the biopsies of the study patients, despite external positive controls and excellent DNA quality.Conclusions: The biopsies of the immunocompetent patients were not associated with a detectable HPV infection. Our data do not support the role of HPV as an etiologic factor in NMSC in immunocompetent patients.

Evaluation of relationship between cytomegalovirus infection and skin squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma by using IHC technique

Skin squamous cell carcinoma [SCC] has high potency for aggression and metastasis; Basal cell carcinoma [BCC] is the most common form of skin cancers. These tumors are highly prevalent in middle-aged and old persons and have a high recurrence risk. Few studies showed the relationship between these tumors and cytomegalovirus [CMV]. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of CMV infection in these skin cancers. In this cross-sectional study, 60 paraffin embedded tissues including 30 SCC and 30 BCC blocks with non-involved margins were collected. Then slides were prepared by cytomegalovirus specified immunohistochemical staining. They were compared with positive control case under light microscope. From 30 SCC cases, 4 cases [13.3%] and 1 margin from non-involved cases were positive for CMV. From 30 BCC cases, 2 cases [6.7%], but no margin, were positive for CMV. There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of CMV infection according to histological grade, age, site of lesion or margins. The findings of this study do not support the association of CMV infection with SCC and BCC