Papillomavirus infection and squamous neoplasia of the cervix

In the past, the lack of a tissue culture system or an animal model suitable for inducing HPV lesions precluded the study of the role of PV in human disease. The development of a genus-specific cross reacting PV antiserum and molecular hybridization techniques now enables pathologists and molecular virologists to assay tissues for the presence of PV structural antigens and DNA sequences using highly specific and sensitive PV probes. The data that has been generated with these new research tools has far reaching implications. For example, the multifocality of squamous carcinoma of the vulva, vagina and cervix together with their similar histology, epidemiology and relationship to precursor lesions suggests that all of these neoplasms as well as related tumors in males may be caused by HPV. Since the immunoperoxidase technique using the PV antiserum can be performed on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue, systematic evaluation of these lesions can be done retrospectively. After identifying PV-associated lesions by the immunocytochemical method, prospective studies can be undertaken utilizing molecular hybridization in an effort to detect PV-DNA sequences and thereby to more clearly define the role of HPV in squamous neoplasia of the female genital tract.