RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expression feature of peroxiredoxin III in cervical lesions and to further understand the mechanism for cervical cancer development/progression.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Expression of peroxiredoxin III was immunohistochemically detected in cervical cancer. In addition, cervical epithelia were transfected with recombinant adeno-associated virus vector containing human papillomavirus 16 E6/E7 and peroxiredoxin III expression was detected by quantitative real time PCR and Western blotting.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Peroxiredoxin III was significantly up-regulated in cervical cancer tissues. Nevertheless, expression of peroxiredoxin III remained unchanged in cervical epithelial cells after transfection.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>It seems that Prx III is not related to cervical cancer initiation. Up-regulation of peroxiredoxin III in cervical cancer might be an active response to oxidative stress in malignant cells, which protects against oxidatiton-induced apoptosis.</p>