hpv

Cervical cancer stands as the leading cause of cancer-related fatalities, worldwide. Cervical cancer is unequivocally attributed to the human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, which is both essential and adequate for its development. The particular prevalence of HPV in the population of Iraq is currently unclear. The present study was to examine the application of multiplex real-time PCR to detect high-risk HPV in the Iraqi population.

This study was conducted on a total of 300 women with cervical anomalies, who were referred to the Gynecological Oncology Departments in multiple hospitals in Babylon and Baghdad from November 2022 to December 2023. The cervical swabs of the samples were collected. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was utilized to conduct HPV DNA testing on all specimens.

The average age of the participants was 30 years. The overall prevalence of High-risk HPV was 16.7%. The age group of women between 30 and 40 years exhibited the highest overall prevalence of HPV. There was a higher prevalence of genotyping for HPV 16, 18, and 31.

The multiplex real-time PCR has numerous advantages, including HPV detection and genotyping to known prevalent genotypes as well as cost effective and no time consuming.

Cervical cancer remains a significant public health concern, with high mortality rates among women despite available preventive, screening, and therapeutic approaches. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, particularly types 16 and 18, are primary factors in cervical cancer development. Curcumin, a bioactive polyphenolic compound from turmeric, has been extensively studied for its therapeutic effects against HPV-induced cervical cancer. This systematic review aims to evaluate the efficacy and mechanisms of curcumin as an affordable dietary supplement alternative to vaccines in treating HPV-associated cervical cancer.

This systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. We searched PubMed, ISI Web of Science, and Scopus using keywords such as "HPV," "curcumin," and "cervical cancer" without time and language restrictions. Two researchers independently performed data extraction and quality assessment based on predefined criteria.

Out of 105 initially identified articles, 22 met the inclusion criteria. The findings suggest that curcumin selectively inhibits the expression of viral oncogenes E6 and E7, mediators and growth-inducing factors, migration, and induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in cervical cancer cells.

Curcumin shows promise in influencing apoptosis, migration, and invasion of cervical cancer cells through various regulatory mechanisms. These preclinical findings suggest a potential basis for future research on curcumin as a therapeutic agent for HPV-associated cervical cancer.

This study aimed to investigate the association between pubic and external genitalia hair removal by laser devices and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.

In this study, a total of 809 women were examined. To this end, 250 women with HPV-positive and 500 ones with HPV-negative/normal cytology were assigned to two groups. Then these women were demographically matched, and the two groups were compared regarding the prevalence of laser device usage for external genital hair removal. Finally, the statistical analysis was performed using unpaired student t-test and Kolmogorov-Smirnov test.

The prevalence of laser hair removal were 59% and 25% in HPV-positive and HPV-negative/regular cytology groups, respectively. It was found that the history of laser hair removal was positively associated with positive HPV results (OR: 4.353, CI: 95%, 3.157 to 5.989).

Laser hair removal was positively associated with positive HPV transmission. However, it was recommended that further studies with greater sample sizes should be carried out to determine if the pubic hair removal by laser devices increased the HPV transmission risk.

Cervical cancer is the second most common malignancy among women worldwide. The Receptor for Activated C Kinase 1 (RACK1) has a key role in regulating the pathways of cell signaling, angiogenesis, cell migration, invasion, and metastasis. This study investigated the association of polymorphisms rs1279736 and rs3756585 with cervical cancer.

 In this study, 100 LB pap-smear and paraffin block samples of cervical squamous carcinoma associated with Human papillomavirus (HPV) were selected along with 100 LB smear cytology samples from healthy women with normal pap smears, serving as the control group. Genomic DNA was extracted from the samples, and the polymorphisms rs1279736 and rs3756585 in the RACK1 genes were examined using the RFLP-PCR and ARMS-PCR methods, respectively.

The rs1279736 polymorphism shows that the chance of cervical cancer in individuals with CA and AA genotypes is 3.772 and 1.852 times that of CC genotypes, respectively. This suggests that the A allele is involved in developing cervical cancer (P=0.005; OR=2.113). The rs3756585 polymorphism indicates that the chance of cervical cancer in TG and GG genotypes is 0.373 and 4.235 times that of TT genotypes, respectively. This also points towards the involvement of the G allele in the development of cervical cancer (P=0.032; OR=1.800). Also, there was no significant relationship between the genotype of polymorphisms, age, and subtype of papillomavirus 16 and 18 in patients.

The present study was conducted for the first time. Our results showed that two polymorphisms are significantly associated with cervical cancer.

Health information‑seeking behavior refers to individuals’ targeted actions to satisfy their health information needs and search for relevant disease‑related information. Nowadays, social media platforms provide a great opportunity for meeting health information needs and delivering preventive education regarding human papillomavirus (HPV). The purpose of this study is the information‑seeking behavior of Iranian young adults (18–28 years old) regarding HPV on social media, a preventive approach to HPV.

The present descriptive‑analytical study was conducted in 2023 among Iranian boys and girls aged 18–28 years. A multistage cluster sampling method was used to select 3840 participants. The data collection tool was Longo’s Health Information‑Seeking Behavior Questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS software.

The results showed that Iranian youth aged 18–28 were more inclined to seek information on social media about the transmission routes and preventive measures for HPV. The primary informational need regarding transmission was “I want to know the main route of HPV transmission is through vaginal and anal intercourse?”, and regarding prevention, it was “Can condoms prevent HPV infection?” Additionally, the findings indicated that young individuals sought information about HPV after their first sexual encounter. Most of the information needs of the youth were fulfilled through YouTube, Instagram, and WhatsApp, mainly in video format. Approximately 85.10% of the youth were satisfied with the information obtained from social media. The results revealed a significant and positive relationship between the health information needs of young adults (18–28 years old) in the area of HPV and personal factors. Gender, age, marital status, education level, history of HPV infection, and engaging is unprotected extramarital sex were identified as significant influential factors on the level of information needs of young individuals, especially regarding HPV preventive measures (P < 0.05).

Health authorities and disease control and prevention centers need to harness the potential of social media in meeting the informational needs of youth and providing education and awareness, especially concerning the transmission and prevention of HPV.

Human papillomavirus-16 E6 (HPV-16 E6) forms a heterodimer complex to up-regulate the degradation of tumor suppressor protein p53 to promote cervical cancer. This study aims to identify a novel small molecule against E6 with anticancer efficacy against HPV-16, a prime high-risk serotype inducer for cervical cancer.

Autodock-vina-based high-throughput virtual screening and atomistic molecular dynamic simulations were used for identification of targeted lead molecules. HPV-16 infected SiHa and CaSki cell lines were used to validate the lead compound in vitro. Proliferation of cancer cells was analyzed by MTT assay and flow cytometry was used to analyze target inhibition, apoptosis, and p53.  

High throughput virtual screening and molecular dynamic simulation identified C-71980262 as a lead candidate that could bind HPV-E6. Atomistic molecular dynamic simulation of E6 bound C-71980262 for 200 ns showed that the predicted ligand binding was stable with minimal energy expenditure, proposing the viability and veracity of the assessed molecule. C-71980262 inhibited the proliferation of SiHa and CaSki cells with GI50 values of 355.70 nM and 505.90 nM, respectively. The compound reduced HPV-16 E6 while inducing early and late-phase apoptosis in these cells. Treatment with C-71980262 increased the p53-positive populations in SiHa and CaSki cells.  

C-71980262 was identified as a novel lead molecule that could inhibit the HPV-16 E6 and increase p53 in cervical cancer cells. Further in vitro and in vivo validation is warranted to consolidate and corroborate this lead compound against HPV-induced cancer progression.

Viral infections contribute to 15-20% of newly diagnosed cancers worldwide. There is evidence of a possible etiological role of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and high-risk human papillomaviruses (HR-HPVs) in colorectal carcinoma (CRC). Loss of p53 and p16 function has been found in many cancers and this may occur in many different ways, including gene mutation or interaction with viral oncoproteins. This study aimed to evaluate the presence of EBV and HPV in CRC patients in northern Iran and to assess p53 and p16 protein expression related to these viral infections. Real-time PCR was used to amplify the DNA sequences of these viruses in 55 colorectal tumoral tissues, along with their corresponding non-tumoral adjacent tissues. Additionally, immunohistochemistry (IHC) was utilized to determine p53 and p16 protein expression. EBV DNA was detected in 49.1% of CRC tissues. Furthermore, HPV DNA was present in 7.3% of CRC tissues. Notably, the prevalence of EBV infection in tumoral tissues was significantly higher than in non-tumoral tissues (P=0.001). The EBV DNA polymerase catalytic subunit (BALF5) copy number in tumoral tissues was higher than in non-tumoral tissues and this difference was statistically significant (P=0.008). P53 was positive in 21/26 (80.8%) EBV-positive and in 11/25 (44%) EBV-negative samples and this difference was significant (P=0.007). P16 was positive in 13/26 (50%) EBV-positive and in 14/25 (58.3%) EBV-negative samples (P= 0.668). Our findings suggest that EBV infection can increase the risk of CRC. In addition, EBV seems to stabilize p53 in EBV-positive CRC which needs further research. No significant correlation was detected between EBV infection and p16 expression. Also, we could not find a causal relationship between HPV infection and CRC in the study population.

Given the critical role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the cause of cervical cancer and other malignancies, there is aneed for innovative approaches to preventing this infection. It has been shown that immunoinformatics is an importantstrategy in computational vaccinology. It is used to design new multi-epitope vaccines against different types of HPVand subsequent cervical cancer. This paper reviews the scope of the entire computational pipeline of HPV vaccinedesign, starting from data analysis at the genomic and proteomic levels and continuing to epitope predictions of theinnate and adaptive immune systems. The search strategy was based on investigating original articles published in“Google Scholar" and “PubMed" from 2015 to 2023-2024. The terms "Immunoinformatics", "Bioinformatics", "Humanpapillomavirus (HPV)", "Vaccine design", "In silico vaccine design", "Multi-epitope vaccine design", "Vaccinology" and"HPV vaccine" were used to for this purpose. We discussed various essential tools involved in the computationaldesign of the vaccine process, e.g., sequence analysis, epitope prediction, conservancy analysis, tertiary structuremodeling, refinement, molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, and in silico cloning. This reviewarticle describes immunoinformatics methods that facilitate the design of a multi-epitope vaccine against HPV.However, this pipeline can also be used to design novel chimeric vaccines for other pathogens.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) with small size and double-stranded DNA is the most important cause of sexually transmitted infections and cervical carcinoma. Controlling the spread of papillomavirus infection and protecting people against the pathogenicity of this virus are key steps in reducing the number of cervical cancer patients. One of the effective ways to achieve this goal is to design a suitable vaccine. In the present study, computer-aided methods were used to suggest a potential vaccine candidate against HPV.

Oncoproteins L1 and E5 of the high-risk strain HPV 16 were utilized to predict the linear B-cell epitopes, cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), and helper T lymphocytes (HTL) epitopes. From the obtained epitopes, non-allergenic and non-toxic peptides with acceptable antigenicity were selected and subsequently converted into 3D structures. The epitopes were subjected to molecular docking using the PDB format. In the next step, short amino acid sequences as spacers were used to join peptides together. Finally, computational analysis including allergenicity and antigenicity studies, physicochemical properties, secondary and tertiary structure prediction, molecular interaction pattern, and cloning analyses were conducted for the vaccine construct.

Our findings revealed that the designed vaccine with suitable antigenicity and physicochemical properties, shows proper interaction with four types of Toll-like receptors (TLR3, TLR4, TLR5, and TLR8), and Escherichia coli (strain K12) is the suitable host for it.

Overall, the vaccine designed in the present study showed a promising immune response. However, further validation through laboratory investigations is required.

HPV is a small, non-enveloped DNA virus that is related to human cervical cancer. The HPV genome encodes six characterized proteins. L1 is the major part of the current vaccines and any changes in this region can be followed by a decrease in vaccine efficiency. The aim of this research was comparison analysis among Iranian L1 protein sequences with reference sequences to determine the possible substation in this region; in addition, finding L1 physicochemical and structural properties by using bioinformatics tools to provide comprehensive comprehension of HPV L1 protein. 13 Iranian PV sequences L1 protein and reference sequences were selected and obtained from NCBI data bank. “CLC sequence viewer” was used to translate the alignment. To predict the signal peptide, “predisi”, and “phobius” were employed. Secondary and tertiary structure and structure validation of all sequences were analyzed.Findings showed that L1 is highly conserved and just two mutations were found in this region. No signal peptide was described and the main part of this region included the random coil. Tertiary structure by different software was mapped and 5 distinct loops were found. This study is the first report that investigated the change in the L1 protein of Iranian patients and provided practical comprehension of L1 properties that is vital for cloning and producing the new generation of virus-like particles (VLPs) vaccines. Furthermore, the structural analysis showed several loops that had an indispensable role in antibody binding and the prevention of HPV infections.

Genital warts are epithelial tissues infected with human papillomaviruses, the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease worldwide. Topical treatments focus on removing warts rather than eliminating the virus. Curcumin, as a therapeutic option, has been shown to have antiviral activity in treating a variety of skin diseases, including vitiligo and psoriasis. The present study compared the effectiveness of cryotherapy plus oral curcumin to cryotherapy alone in treating genital warts. This randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial was performed on patients diagnosed with genital warts, who were divided into two groups. Patients underwent 5-7 sessions of cryotherapy plus oral curcumin or placebo. Outcome measures included the number of warts, the visual analog scale (VAS), and the Persian version of the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). The data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 21.Twenty-seven patients with a mean age of 34.3 ± 10.3 years were included in each group. The median number of genital warts, DLQI, and VAS improved significantly in both groups. The effect of curcumin was more prominent in a short period, although it was not statistically significant compared to the placebo group. Using curcumin as an adjuvant drug in conjunction with cryotherapy was shown to be ineffective in treating genital warts. According to The Dermatology Life Quality Index, clinical improvement was observed; however, it was not statistically significant. Further studies should be carried out with higher doses of oral curcumin or topical vaginal creams containing curcumin to determine the role of curcumin in treating genital warts.

The Human papillomaviruses (HPV) main capsid protein L1 is naturally capable to self-assemble as virus-like particles (VLPs). There are different recombinant protein expression systems such as bacteria, yeast, insect, plant, and mammalian cells for generation of VLP-based candidate vaccines targeting various pathogens. In this study, we produced HPV-L1 protein by BL21/pET32a expression system and VLP production was confirmed.

The recombinant plasmid pET32/L1 was transformed into Escherichia. coli BL21 and selected with ampicillin. The positive clones containing the recombinant plasmid pET32/L1 were assessed by restriction endonucleases HindIII and XhoI and sequence analysis. The expression of HPV16-L1 fusion protein in E. coli BL21was identified by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. VLPs were evaluated using electron microscopy.

A codon-optimized L1 gene was expressed in BL21 under the control of the T7/lac promoter. Purification of L1 protein was achieved after Ni NTA chromatography. The 60kDa protein was detected in the lysates of BL21, recognized as HPV16- L1 protein by Western blotting. VLPs were confirmed using electron microscopy.

In this study, we established a high-efficient recombinant E. coli expression system for the production of HPV 16- L1 protein. The generated L1 protein was correctly self-assembled into VLPs. Therefore, BL21/pET32a as a prokaryotic expression system is a potent tool for HPV16-L1 VLP production.

Human Papillomaviruses (HPVs) are common sexually transmitted viruses that cause health problems, including genital warts and different type of cancers. There are over 200 different types of HPV, some of which are correlated with the progress of cervical cancer. One of the HPV genes responsible for its oncogenic potential is the E6 gene. E6 is a critical protein in the life cycle of HPV and a key contributor to the development of HPV-associated cancers. Its interactions with cellular proteins lead to disruptions in key cellular pathways and the promotion of cancerous cell growth. Overall, HPV E6 represents a reassuring target for the expansion of novel therapies for the treatment of HPV-associated cancers and understanding its molecular interactions with host proteins is critical for developing targeted therapies for HPV-associated cancers. In this article, we will focus on the cancer-related mechanism and cell interaction of HPV E6.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are one of the world's most severe health challenges. The existence of STIs such as human papillomavirus (HPV) might cause cervical cell changes leading to cervical cancer.

This study aims to assess the association of STIs with cervical cytological abnormalities and genital warts among women in northeastern Iran.

This cross-sectional study was carried out on 190 women referred to the central laboratory of Academic Center for Education, Culture, and Research, Mashhad, Iran from March to July 2022. The presence of genital infections caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma genitalium, and Herpes simplex viruses (1 and 2) were assessed using the real-time polymerase chain reaction method. HPV genital infection was detected based on the principles of reverse hybridization, and cellular changes in the cervix were examined by the liquid-based cytology technique.

The mean age of participants was 35.33 ± 8.9 yr. 34 different HPV genotypes were detected in all HPV-positive cases, and the most common genotype was low-risk HPV6. No significant association was found between STIs and cervical cytology abnormalities. The prevalence rates of sexually transmitted pathogens among HPV-positive and HPV-negative individuals were 10.9 and 1.6%, respectively. The frequency of genital warts was significantly higher in cases with multiple infections of high- and low-risk HPV genotypes.

High percentages of the participants with non-HPV STIs and HPV infection had normal cervical cytology. It is advised to use STIs and HPV diagnostic tests along with cytology examinations for cervical cancer screening.

Among HPV-mediated cervical cancers, cellular factor BRN3A has gained considerable attention due to its role in promoting an anti-apoptotic cellular environment and in facilitating epitheliotropic transformations of the host. The majority of previous studies looked at BRN3A's molecular characteristics; however, the possibility of genetic variations in BRN3A's auto-regulatory region in relation to cervical cancer risk has been underestimated until now. In a retrospective study in the Eastern UP population, India, we detected genetic variations in the cis-regulatory proximal enhancer region located around 5.6 kb upstream of transcription start site of BRN3A. Our analysis of PCR and DNA sequencing confirmed this novel SNP (BRN3A g.60163379A>G) within the auto-regulatory region of BRN3A. As compared to control subjects, cancer cases exhibited a 1.32-fold higher allele frequency (χ2 = 6.315, p = 0.012). In homozygous (GG) but not in heterozygous conditions, odds ratio (OR) analysis suggests a significant association of cancer risk with the SNP (OR = 2.60, p ≤ 0.004). We further confirmed using the functional analysis that this SNP increased the luciferase gene activity in HPV-positive cervical cancer SiHa cells that were exposed to progesterone. As a result of the association of polymorphisms in a non-coding region of an oncogene with increased cancer risks, we are suggesting that this genetic variation in non-coding region can be used in prediction, diagnosis, or predicting the progression of the disease.

Sexually transmitted diseases are a major health problem in all countries. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most common viral sexually transmitted disease in both genders. High‑risk sexual behaviors (HRSBs) are among the major risk factors for HPV infection. Lack of knowledge can contribute to HRSBs and hence, education can potentially reduce HRSB risk. This is a study using theory of reasoned action to reduce the high‑risk sexual behaviors among patients with HPV.

This study was a two‑grouped, randomized, controlled trial. The educational program was developed based on the results of a survey into the most important components of the theory of reasoned action contributing to HRSBs among 100 patients recruited from Razi hospital, Tehran, Iran. Then, 110 patients from the same hospital were consecutively recruited and randomly allocated to a control (n = 55) and an intervention (n = 55) group. Then, each participant in the intervention group was provided with the developed educational program. Their counterparts in the control group solely received routine care services. Three months after the first educational session, HRSBs were reassessed in both groups. Data were analyzed via the SPSS software (v. 21.0).

After the intervention, the mean score of HRSBs significantly decreased in the intervention group (P < 0.001) but did not significantly change in the control group (P = 0.70). The post‑test mean score of HRSBs in the intervention group was significantly less than the control group (P = 0.015).

Education based on the theory of reasoned action is effective in significantly reducing HRSBs. Nurses can develop and use educational interventions based on this theory to reduce HRSBs and HPV infection.