Prevention of cervical cancer through the characterization of E6 and E7 mRNA transcriptional activity as biological markers of human papillomavirus infections

• Author / Creator

  Tchir, Jayme Dianna Radford

• The quantification of human papillomavirus (HPV) oncogene transcripts, E6 and E7, may be predictive of viral oncogenesis and cancer progression. The main objectives of this study were to determine the HPV genotype prevalence and distribution in Edmonton, Alberta, and characterize a quantifiable association of HPV E6/E7 mRNA expression with the presence of cervical disease. Successful clinical trial design and patient enrolment lead to the first controlled characterization of HPV genotype epidemiology in Alberta. HPV-16 was identified as the most prevalent genotype, followed by several non-vaccine genotypes (HPV-31, -52). Despite rigorous experimentation and a significant correlation between high-risk HPV infection and cervical lesions (p<0.05), absolute quantification of viral oncogenesis was unsuccessful. The ability to quantify oncogene transcriptional activity may, in time, revolutionize cervical cancer screening programmes, akin to the Pap smear several decades ago. However, as experienced in this study and in others, great challenges and even greater questions remain unanswered.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Human papillomavirus
  • Quantification
  • Cervical cancer
  • Prevalence

• Graduation date

  Fall 2010

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3RM4D

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.