Expression of cyclin D1 and cyclin E significantly associates with human papillomavirus subtypes in Bowenoid papulosis

Human papillomavirus (HPV) incorporates high-risk HPV (hrHPV) and low-risk HPV (lrHPV) subtypes according to its contribution to oncogenesis. Different HPV subtypes could regulate the cell cycle of infected cells at different levels. To date, the expression of cyclin D1 and cyclin E in Bowenoid papulosis (BP) tissues and its association with HPV infection still remains elusive. In the present study, genotyping was performed to identify the HPV subtypes in 44 BP specimens. In addition, immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the expression of cell cycle related proteins cyclin D1 and cyclin E in BP tissues as well as normal tissues. We found that there were 20 patients with hrHPV subtypes, 6 patients with lrHPV subtypes, and 18 patients with combined high and low (hr/lr) HPV subtypes. Cyclin D1 expression in patients with hrHPV subtypes (P = 0.0408), in patients with lrHPV subtypes (P = 0.0002) and in patients with hr/lr HPV subtypes (P = 0.0047) was significantly higher than that in normal controls, respectively. Cyclin D1 expression in patients with hr/lr HPV subtypes (P < 0.0001) and in patients with lrHPV subtypes (P = 0.0244) was significantly higher than that in patients with hrHPV subtypes, respectively. Cyclin E expression in patients with hrHPV subtypes (P < 0.0001), in patients with lrHPV subtypes (P = 0.0005), and in patients with hr/lr HPV subtypes (P < 0.0001) was significantly higher than that in normal controls, respectively. Cyclin E expression in patients with hrHPV subtypes was significantly higher than that in patients with lrHPV subtypes (P = 0.0032). Our data suggest that HPV infection is strongly associated with the pathogenesis of BP, and further support the notion that HPV may be involved in the regulation of the expression of cell cycle related proteins, cyclin D1 and cyclin E, in the pathogenesis of BP.