Expression of BAG-1 and PARP-1 in precursor lesions and invasive cervical cancer associated with human papillomavirus (HPV)

Pathol Oncol Res. 2012 Oct;18(4):929-37. doi: 10.1007/s12253-012-9523-y. Epub 2012 Mar 28.

Abstract

Cervical cancer remains persistently the second most common malignancies among women worldwide, responsible for 500,000 new cases annually. Only in Brazil, the estimate is for 18,430 new cases in 2011. Several types of molecular markers have been studied in carcinogenesis including proteins associated with apoptosis such as BAG-1 and PARP-1. This study aims to demonstrate the expression of BAG-1 and PARP-1 in patients with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSILs), high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) and invasive squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) of the uterine cervix and to verify a possible association with HPV infection. Fifty samples of LSILs, 50 samples of HSILs and 50 samples of invasive SCCs of the uterine cervix were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for BAG-1 and PARP-1 expression. PCR was performed to detect and type HPV DNA. BAG-1 expression levels were significantly different between LSILs and HSILs (p = 0,014) and between LSILs and SCCs (p = 0,014). In regards to PARP-1 expression, we found significant differences between the expression levels in HSILs and SCCs (p = 0,022). No association was found between BAG-1 expression and the presence of HPV. However, a significant association was found between PARP-1 expression and HPV positivity in the HSILs group (p = 0,021). In conclusion our research suggests that BAG-1 expression could contribute to the differentiation between LSIL and HSIL/SCC whereas PARP-1 could be useful to the differentiation between HSIL HPV-related and SCC. Further studies are needed to clarify the molecular aspects of the relationship between PARP-1 expression and HPV infection, with potential applications for cervical cancer prediction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alphapapillomavirus / isolation & purification*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Neoplasms, Squamous Cell / metabolism
  • Neoplasms, Squamous Cell / pathology
  • Neoplasms, Squamous Cell / virology*
  • Papillomavirus Infections / metabolism*
  • Papillomavirus Infections / pathology
  • Papillomavirus Infections / virology
  • Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1
  • Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / biosynthesis*
  • Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / genetics
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Precancerous Conditions
  • Transcription Factors / biosynthesis*
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / metabolism
  • Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / pathology
  • Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / virology*
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / pathology
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / virology*

Substances

  • BCL2-associated athanogene 1 protein
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • PARP1 protein, human
  • Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1
  • Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases