What is the process of malignant conversion of skin lesions in patients with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection?
Malignancy of HPV Skin Lesions: HPV 16 and 18 (E6 and E7) proteins inhibits interferon pathway which suppresses the expression of MHC Class I on the surface of APC. This in turn does not activate CD8+ CTL which triggers viral immune evasion causing HPV persistence. It ultimately results in cancer. It usually occurs in fourth and fifth decade of life.