Detection and significance of HPV16 E5-specific productive transcripts in oropharyngeal carcinoma.

ABSTRACT:

Background

HPV16 is implicated in around 30% of oropharyngeal cancers (OPCs). HPV-associated OPCs generally show a better prognosis, but 20% deviate from this trend, indicating a need for better molecular profiling. HPV16-E5 is an oncoprotein encoded by an mRNA that undergoes extensive splicing, with only one specific transcript being translatable. The prognostic significance of this E5-productive transcript in HPV-related OPCs is not well-studied.

Methods

We retrospectively analysed 74 HPV16-positive OPC cases diagnosed between 2011 and 2021. FFPE tissue samples were used for p16, EGFR, and HLA-I analysis by immunohistochemistry while E5, productive E5, E6 and E7 transcripts were detected by qPCR. Survival analysis was conducted using Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests.

SUBMITTER: Dona MG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12329863 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature