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The role of human papillomavirus HPV in prostate carcinogenesis is highly controversial: some studies suggest a positive association between HPV infection and an increased risk of prostate cancer PCa , whereas others do not reveal any correlation.
In this study, we investigated the prognostic impact of HPV infection on survival in primary PCa patients. One hundred twelve In the debate about the oncogenic activity of HPV in PCa, our results further confirm the need for additional studies to clarify the possible role of HPV in prostate carcinogenesis. The involvement of HPV infection in a malignant transformation was first discovered by zur Hausen, who identified a subgroup of HPVs as etiological agents of cervical cancer [ 1 β 3 ].
More than types of HPV have been identified and about one-third of them infect the genital tract [ 4 , 5 ]. HPV E6 and E7 are the main transforming viral proteins that work together to immortalize infected cells [ 9 , 10 ]. E7 oncoprotein targets the retinoblastoma protein pRB for degradation causing a release of E2F transcription factor and the constitutive expression of E2F-responsive genes with premature activation of S-phase.
Normally, this condition leads to pdependent apoptosis, but HPV has evolved to inhibit the tumour suppressor p53 functions, indirectly by inducing its ubiquitylation and proteasomal degradation or directly by binding p53 interfering with its transcriptional activity.
