HPV16-positive cervical cancer lesions contain less IRF6 and IL-1β.

<p>(A) Immunofluorescence of normal cervical issue and HPV16+ cervical cancer biopsies. IL-1β (green), p53 (red) with trace indicating the basal layer and nucleus (white). Normal (HPV−) and a neoplastic biopsy (HPV16+) from one representative patient out of six with similar results are shown. Bars represent a scale of 10 μm. For each stained biopsy, six fields were examined IL-1β staining was counted manually and the percentage scored out of 100 cells. n = 4. (B) RNA was extracted from normal (29) and cervical cancer biopsies (29). IL-1β relative and IRF6 mRNA levels were measured by RT-qPCR. n = 4. (C) Table of immunohistochemical scoring IRF6 in patients at different stages of cervical neoplasia. Scoring, *** strong, ** medium, * low and—no staining (4 normal, 8 CINI, 8 CINII, 5 CINIII). n = 2. All tissue staining data were examined by two pathologists. (D), Immunohistochemical staining of IRF6 in cervical tissue in patients with CINI, II or III. n = 2. (E) RT-qPCR of IL-1β and IRF6 mRNA expression levels in normal vs neoplastic cervical tissue. n = 3. <b>A p53 site is required to bind to the IRF6 promoter but is lost in cervical cancer tissues</b>. (F) ChIP analysis was performed on normal and cervical neoplastic tissue for IRF6 binding on ISRE site on the IL-1β promoter. n = 3.