EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR RECEPTOR (EGFR) AND HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS (HPV) L1 CAPSID PROTEIN IN CERVICAL SQUAMOUS INTRAEPITHELIAL LESIONS

We analyzed the immunohistochemical pattern of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs) in correlation with L1 HPV capsid protein, in order to determine the relationship between EGFR expression and the infection status of human papillomavirus (HPV). The study included 40 cases, 24 LSIL (low grade SIL) (CIN1, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia) and 16 HSIL (high grade SIL) (6 cases of CIN2 and 10 cases of CIN3). The immunoexpression of L1 HPV protein was assessed on conventional cervico-vaginal smears and EGFR was immunohistochemically evaluated on the corresponding cervical biopsies. The HPV L1 capsid protein was expressed in 45.83% of LSIL and 25% of HSIL. EGFR was overexpressed in 62,4% of HSIL (58,4% CIN2 and 41,6% CIN3) and 37,6% LSIL. The immunoexpression of L1 HPV has clinical application in the progression assessment of the cervical precancerous lesions without a correlation to the grade of the cervical SIL. EGFR is expressed by all proliferating squamous epithelial cells, thus corresponding with the grade of SIL. The evaluation of EGFR status, correlated with L1 HPV protein expression, can provide useful data of progression risk of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions