The detection of DNA tumour virus-specific RNA sequences in abnormal human cervical biopsies by in situ hybridization.

We have used the technique of in situ nucleic acid hybridization and autoradiography of thin frozen sections of human tissue to search for virus RNA sequences in human cervical tumours. Of cervical biopsies with abnormal cytology, 67% bound herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2) 3H-labelled DNA probes and 39% bound adenovirus type 2 (Ad2) 3H-labelled DNA probes, whereas control experiments with phage lambda 3H-labelled DNA probes, under the same conditions, bound to only 7% of cases. In contrast, normal cervical biopsies bound the three probes in only 23%, 17% and 8% of cases respectively.