Influence of human papillomavirus on DNA ploidy determination in genital condylomas

It has been reported that deoxyribonuclease (DNAse) treatment does not destroy viral DNA, but it does digest native nuclear DNA. To determine what effect, if any, papillomavirus infection has on DNA ploidy values of genitourinary condylomas, DNA was measured with and without DNAse exposure in seven urethral condylomas, shown by prior in situ hybridization to contain abundant human papillomavirus types 6 and 11. Normal human skin was used as a negative control. Consecutive paraffin-embedded tissue sections were stained according to Feulgen before and after DNAse treatment. The DNA was measured by image analysis. In control tissue, DNAse obliterated DNA, and the Feulgen reaction was negative. In six of seven condylomas the DNA content was reduced, but a measurable Feulgen reaction was still present in isolated cells. In the seventh case there were no significant changes in the histograms. This observation strongly suggests that the presence of human papillomavirus has a significant effect on measurements of DNA ploidy in genital condylomas and, by implication, possibly also in other tissues containing the virus. Possible mechanisms are discussed.