MHC class I expression in HPV 16 positive cervical carcinomas is post-transcriptionally controlled and independent from c-myc overexpression.

Squamous cell carcinomas of the uterine cervix (n=23) were selected for the presence of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV 16) using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Localization of transcripts coding for the E7 protein was demonstrated in neoplastic cells with RNA in situ hybridization. Consecutive tissue sections were investigated for expression of the major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) and c-myc using immunohistochemical double staining procedures, since a role has been suggested for the c-myc protein in MHC-I down-regulation and c-myc overexpression has been described in cervical carcinomas