RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To define a correlation between human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 and telomerase activity during the carcinogenesis of oral mucosa.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HPV16 DNA and human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTRT) mRNA were detected in 82 cases of paraffin embedded tissues including 7 cases of normal oral mucosa, 7 cases of hyperplasia lesions, 30 cases of oral dysplasia lesions and 38 cases of oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) by PCR and in situ hybridization (ISH) respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>HPV16DNA was positive in 14.3% (1/7) of normal oral mucosa, 42.9% (3/7) of hyperplasia lesions, 66.6% (20/30) of dysplasia lesions and 92.1% (35/38) of OSCCs. hTRTmRNA was detectable in 30.0% (9/30) of oral dysplasia lesions and 81.6% (31/35) of OSCCs while normal oral mucosa and hyperplasia lesions were negative. Expression of HPV16DNA and hTRTmRNA were co-ordinate in 67.0% (55/82) cases.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>HPV16 infection may play an important role in carcinogenesis of oral mucosa by activation of telomerase.</p>