Role of human papillomaviruses in carcinogenesis

141Citations
Citations of this article
290Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

Abstract

The human papillomavirus (HPV) family comprises more than 170 different types that preferentially infect the mucosa of the genitals, upper-respiratory tract, or the skin. The 'high-risk HPV type', a sub-group of mucosal HPVs, is the cause of approximately 5% of all human cancers, which corresponds to one-third of all virus-induced tumours. Within the high-risk group, HPV16 is the most oncogenic type, being responsible for approximatively 50% of all worldwide cervical cancers. Many studies suggest that, in addition to the high-risk mucosal HPV types, certain cutaneous HPVs also have a role in the development of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). Functional studies on the HPV early gene products showed that E6 and E7 play a key role in carcinogenesis. These two proteins use multiple mechanisms to evade host immune surveillance, allowing viral persistence, and to deregulate cell cycle and apoptosis control, thus facilitating the accumulation of DNA damage and ultimately cellular transformation. The demonstration that high-risk HPV types are the etiological agents of cervical cancer allowed the implementation in the clinical routine of novel screening strategies for cervical lesions, as well as the development of a very efficient prophylactic vaccine. Because of these remarkable achievements, there is no doubt that in the coming decades we will witness a dramatic reduction of cervical cancer incidence worldwide.

Figures

  • Table 1. Mucosal HPV types (genus alpha) and main associated diseases.
  • Table 2. Biological properties of HPV Early proteins and their cellular targets.
  • Table 3. Principal features of HPV prophylactic vaccines.

References Powered by Scopus

Epidemiologic classification of human papillomavirus types associated with cervical cancer

5316Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Papillomaviruses and cancer: From basic studies to clinical application

3358Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Prevalence of human papillomavirus in cervical cancer: A worldwide perspective

3095Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Cited by Powered by Scopus

Cancer and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/transsexual, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) populations

330Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Human papillomavirus as a driver of head and neck cancers

229Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

The role of Nuclear Factor-kappa B signaling in human cervical cancer

220Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Ghittoni, R., Accardi, R., Chiocca, S., & Tommasino, M. (2015, April 29). Role of human papillomaviruses in carcinogenesis. Ecancermedicalscience. Cancer Intelligence. https://doi.org/10.3332/ecancer.2015.526

Readers over time

‘15‘16‘17‘18‘19‘20‘21‘22‘23‘24‘25015304560

Readers' Seniority

Tooltip

PhD / Post grad / Masters / Doc 121

86%

Researcher 10

7%

Professor / Associate Prof. 6

4%

Lecturer / Post doc 3

2%

Readers' Discipline

Tooltip

Medicine and Dentistry 66

42%

Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Bi... 45

28%

Agricultural and Biological Sciences 33

21%

Immunology and Microbiology 15

9%

Article Metrics

Tooltip
Mentions
News Mentions: 3

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free
0