Expression of Human Papillomavirus DNA and p53 Polymorphisms through Polymerase Chain Reaction in Normal Mucosa and Oral Leukoplakia Individuals with Deleterious Oral Habits

CONTEXT: Oral leukoplakia (OL) is a well-recognized precancerous lesion with various etiological factors. Most commonly deleterious oral habits such as tobacco smoking and viral etiologies mainly human papillomavirus (HPV) play an important role. p53 polymorphisms mostly homozygous Arginine (Arg) allele has a greater risk of degradation by HPV. Hence, HPV infection and p53 polymorphisms may act as synergistic factors for increased the risk of malignant transformation in oral precancerous lesions. AIMS: The aim of this study is to evaluate the risk of OL and its malignant transformation due to infection by HPV and p53 polymorphisms in the oral biopsy samples through polymerase chain reaction (PCR). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 40 individuals were involved– 10 individuals were controls without deleterious habits, 15 were controls with deleterious habits, and 15 were with histologically confirmed OL individuals with deleterious habits. PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism using sma1 enzyme were carried out to evaluate the expression of HPV and p53 polymorphisms. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Chi-square test, Fischer's exact t-test, and odds ratio. RESULTS: (1) HPV DNA expression was higher in Leukoplakia individuals than controls. (2) p53 genotype with homozygous Arg was more in HPV-infected individuals. CONCLUSIONS: To conclude HPV infected OL cases were mostly with Arg/Arg type of p53 polymorphism.