HPV has also been associated with
atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. An
analysis of the National Health and
Nutrition Examination Survey found that
the presence of HR-HPV is associated
with a 2.86-fold increased risk of cardiovascular
disease, defined as nonfatal
myocardial infarction or stroke.19 HPV
oncoproteins E6 and E7 are known to
interact with and disable tumor suppressor
proteins, including p53 and retinoblastoma,
and thereby affect apoptosis
and cellular repair.20 The dysfunction
of p53 has been shown to accelerate
atherosclerosis in vivo, and increased cell
proliferation was found to be the underlying
mechanism independent of the
apoptotic process.21,22 Animal models
show increased rates of atherosclerotic
lesions and more advanced, vulnerable
lesions marked by increased tissue necrosis
associated with retinoblastoma and
p53 deficient macrophages.23 These actions
likely contributed to the reported
association between HPV infection and
increased risk of cardiovascular disease,
and provide a potential mechanism and
biologic plausibility for the relation between
HPV infection and preeclampsia.
Although preeclampsia is unique to
pregnancy, it shares pathologic etiologies
with cardiovascular disease such as
poor vascular health, inflammation, and