Genetic Variability in E6 and E7 Oncogenes from Human Papillomavirus Type 58 in Mexican Women

The study aimed to describe human papillomavirus (HPV) 58 genetic variability in E6 and E7 oncogenes from women in southeast Mexico and their phylogenetic relationships with the sequences from other geographical regions.

The E6-E7 region was amplified by nested PCR, and sequenced for identification of polymorphisms, phylogenetic trees construction, and haplotype and fixation tests.

HPV58 positive samples were obtained from a repository, 54 were amplified, 47 sequences for the E6 gene, and 51 sequences for the E7 gene were obtained. Fifteen new E6 mutations were found; the most frequent were G279T (G57V; 29.78%), T249G (F47C; 34.04%), and A270G (Y54C; 34.04%), and previously reported c307t (63.82%). For E7, 17 known mutations were found, the most frequent were C632T (T20I), 35.30%, G760A (G63S), 35.30%, and t744g 74.50%. No significant association with the severity of the lesions was found. The polytomy in the E6 tree did not allow proposing phylogenetic relationship, and E7 tree presented defined branches. All sequences were presumably A lineage, most closely related to A1 and/or A3 sublineage. HPV58 variants are not specific for a geographical area. Population and fixation analyses suggest a possible Asian origin of HPV58 from Yucatan. The most frequent E7 haplotype in Yucatan groups with other populations of the world.

The genetic variability of HPV58 from Mexico was described for the first time. E7 was more conserved than E6. New mutants present exclusively in Yucatan were identified.