Alternations in mitochondrial genome in carcinogenesis of HPV positive cervix

It is well known that mitochondrial dysfunctions are involved in tumorigenesis. A special interest of scientists is mitochondrial ND1 gene (mtND1). Recently detected mutations in the mtND1 can disrupt the normal activity of complex I and affect oxidative phosphorylation, thus leading to increase reactive oxygen species production. This study was undertaken to determine the alternations in the mtND1 and evaluate their association with development of precancerous lesions and cervical cancer.

In the study 29 cervical cancer, 28 low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (L-SIL) and 30 high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (H-SIL) HPV positive fragments tissue were screened for the presence of mtND1 mutations.

Our study showed that mutations in the mtND1 gene were detected in patients with precancerous stage, as well as cervical cancer. We have identified 12 point mutations in 116 analyzed precancerous and cancer samples HPV positive. Most detected missense mutations were previously described, except one (p. M156K) with Grantham value 95. The lower expression of mRNA ND1 was detected in cervical cancer cases and in all samples in which mtND1 mutations were identified. Our analyses revealed that level of ROS production was higher in cervical cancer tissues and all cases characterized by mtND1 mutations.

We hypothesize that mutations in MT-ND1 observed in H-SIL and cancer could activate cervical carcinogenesis by increased ROS production.