Patterns of Expression of Human Papilloma Virus Gene Products In Cases of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: Findings From a University Teaching Hospital in Northern Nigeria

Abstract

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is a well-recognized oncogenic virus in several epithelial malignancies of the head and neck; however, its role in the aetio-pathogenesis of Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remains controversial and appears to vary by geographic region and histologic subtype. Data on HPV involvement in NPC are limited in Nigeria. This study was therefore undertaken to determine the presence of HPV DNA in NPC tissues from patients seen at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, Nigeria. A retrospective analysis of 44 histologically confirmed NPC cases diagnosed between 1992 and 2013 was carried out. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue blocks were retrieved and DNA was extracted using a commercial FFPE DNA extraction kit. DNA quality was assessed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification of the human β-globin gene, while HPV DNA detection was performed using GP5+/GP6+ consensus primers targeting the L1 region of the HPV genome, with appropriate positive and negative controls included. All samples showed adequate DNA quality with successful β-globin amplification; however, none of the 44 NPC cases demonstrated detectable HPV DNAby PCR. These findings suggest that HPV may not play a significant role in the pathogenesis of NPC in this environment and support the predominance of non-HPV-related aetiologic factors, such as Epstein–Barr virus, in NPC within this population. Further studies using larger sample sizes and complementary detection methods are recommended.