Depletion of Langerhans cells in cervical HPV infection is associated with replication of the virus.
We studied the quantity of Langerhans cells in 36 patients with cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Significantly fewer Langerhans cells (p < 0.05) were found in patients with compared to those without DNA tetraploidy. Similarly, patients positive for HPV 16/18 DNA by in situ hybridization or antipeptide IgA antibodies to HPV 18 tended to have fewer Langerhans cells than those negative for HPV 16/18 DNA or IgA antibodies. Our results suggest that depletion of Langerhans cells is associated with productive HPV 16/18 infection in the cervical epithelium.
Lehtinen
M
M
Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Tampere, Finland.
Rantala
I
I
Toivonen
A
A
Luoto
H
H
Aine
R
R
Lauslahti
K
K
Ylä-Outinen
A
A
Romppanen
U
U
Paavonen
J
J
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000378:metabolism; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D018949:Antigens, CD1; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D027383:Papillomaviridae; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000473:pathology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D002577:Uterine Cervical Diseases / Q000473:pathology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015703:Antigens, CD; D018949:Antigens, CD1; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D010455:Peptides