Differential expression of host oncogenes in human papillomavirus-associated nasopharyngeal and cervical epithelial cancers

Human papillomavirus (HPV)-related cervical and nasopharyngeal cancers differ in molecular mechanisms underlying the oncogenic processes. The disparity may be attributed to differential expression of oncoproteins. The current study investigated the host oncogenes expression pattern in HPV-associated cervical and nasopharyngeal cancer. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues originating from the nasopharyngeal and cervical regions were screened using Hematoxylin and Eosin staining. Genomic DNA and total RNA were extracted from confirmed cancer biopsies and non-cancer tissues (NC). HPV was detected by PCR using MY09/GP5+/6+ primers. Protein expression levels of AKT, IQGAP1, and MMP16 in HPV-infected cancers and controls were determined by immunohistochemistry. RT-qPCR was used to profile mRNAs of the oncogenes. AKT and IQGAP1 proteins were highly expressed in the epithelial cancers compared with the non-cancer tissues (p < 0.05). IQGAP1 and MMP16 mRNAs level was significantly higher in the cancers than in the NC (p < 0.05), but not AKT mRNA levels. MMP16 protein was ubiquitously expressed in all tissues. AKT mRNA level was significantly elevated in CC compared with NPC (p < 0.001). However, the difference in AKT, IQGAP1 and MMP16 proteins level between CC and NPC was not significant (p > 0.05). The oncoproteins expression level between the HPV-positive and HPV-negative cancer biopsies showed no significant difference (p < 0.05). Current study reports AKT but not IQGAP1 and MMP16 mRNAs differentially expression in cervical and nasopharyngeal cancers, independent of HPV infection status.