Human Papilloma Virus Increases ΔNp63α Expression in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

P63, and in particular the most expressed Delta Np63 alpha isoform, seems to have a critical role in the outcome of head and neck cancer. Many studies have been conducted to assess the possible use of p63 as a prognostic marker in squamous cell carcinoma cancers, but the results are still not well-defined. Moreover, a clear relationship between the expression of Delta Np63 alpha and the presence of high-risk HPV E6 and E7 oncoproteins has been delineated. Here we describe how Delta Np63 alpha is mostly expressed in HPV-positive compared to HPV-negative head and neck cancer cell lines, with a very good correlation between Delta Np63 alpha mRNA and protein levels.