Kamylla Conceição Gomes Nascimento

This study evaluated the presence of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Bovine Leukemia Virus (BLV) DNA in breast cancer (BC) samples from women in Northeastern Brazil. We analyzed 186 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue block samples using PCR and qPCR to detect HPV and BLV DNA. BLV DNA was not detected in any BC patients. However, HPV DNA was found in 46.2\% of the BC samples: 44.6\% were positive for HPV16, 3.5\% for HPV31, and 2\% were coinfected with HPV16 and HPV31. Additionally, we found an association between HPV-positive BC and Ki-67 expression (P=0.03, OR=1.85; CI=1.02-3.34), as well as between HPV31-positive BC and mitotic index (P=0.047). Although BLV was not detected in BC patients from Northeastern Brazil, the association between HPV and cell proliferation markers warrants further investigation, as HPV may contribute to the aggressiveness of BC in these patients.

Breast cancer risk factors include lifestyle, genetic–hormonal influences, and viral infections. Human papillomavirus (HPV), known primarily as the etiological agent of cervical cancer, also appears active in breast carcinogenesis, as evidenced in our study of 56 patients from northeastern Brazil. We assessed the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics, correlating them with various breast cancer tumor types. HPV detection involved amplifying the L1 region, with viral load measured using the E2/E6 ratio and viral activity indicated by E5 oncogene expression. Predominantly, patients over 56 years of age with healthy lifestyles showed a high incidence of invasive ductal carcinoma and triple-negative breast cancer. HPV was detected in 35.7% of cases, mostly HPV16, which is associated with high viral loads (80 copies per cell) and significant E5 expression. These results hint at a possible link between HPV and breast carcinogenesis, necessitating further studies to explore this association and the underlying viral mechanisms.

This study evaluated the presence of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in the cervix and peripheral blood of women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN I, II, and III) and healthy individuals. Overall, 139 paired peripheral blood and cervix samples of healthy women and women with CIN I, II, and III (n = 68) were tested for HPV DNA by using standard procedures. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) sequencing determined HPV types. Quantification of HPV16 E6 and E2 genes was performed to determine viral load and physical state. HPV DNA was detected in the cervix (21.1% in healthy individuals; 48.8–55.5% in CIN patients), blood (46.4% in healthy individuals; 44.1–77.7% in CIN patients) and paired peripheral blood and cervix samples (24% in healthy individuals; 32.5–44.4% in CIN patients). The most frequent types found in the cervix were HPV16, 18, 31, 33, 58, and 70, while HPV16, 18, 33, 58, and 66 were the most frequent types found in the blood. HPV DNA in the cervix was associated with previous sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (p = 0.023; OR: 2.978; CI:1.34–7.821), HPV DNA in the blood (p = 0.000; OR: 8.283; CI:3.700–18.540), and cervical lesions (CIN I/II or III) (p = 0.007). Binomial logistic regression showed that HPV DNA in the blood (p = 0.000; OR: 9.324; CI:3.612–24.072) and cervical lesions (p = 0.011; OR: 3.622; CI:1.338–9.806) were associated with HPV DNA in the cervix. However, we did not find an association between HPV DNA in the blood and cervical lesions (p = 0.385). Our results showed that only HPV DNA found in the cervix was associated with cervical lesions.