Analysis of human papillomavirus type 16 variants indicates establishment of persistent infection.
Sequence differences in the noncoding region of the human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) genome were displayed using single-stranded conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified material. Two variants accounted for 50%-70% of all HPV-16 variants from 3 cohorts in Seattle. Seventy subjects who were repeatedly HPV-16 DNA-positive over 2-8 4-monthly visits showed an identical SSCP pattern at every visit. Only 10%-20% of the specimens showed evidence of infection by multiple variants when assessed by SSCP. However, cloning and sequencing of the PCR products revealed a substantially higher proportion of specimens with > 1 variant. Sequencing many clones from each specimen confirmed that 1 major variant seemed to predominate over time, whereas minor variants appeared more transient. These results suggest that HPV-16 establishes a persistent infection in which a single variant predominates: coinfection with addition HPV-16 variants results in a minor population of HPV-16 genomes.
Xi
L F
LF
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
Demers
G W
GW
Koutsky
L A
LA
Kiviat
N B
NB
Kuypers
J
J
Watts
D H
DH
Holmes
K K
KK
Galloway
D A
DA
D001483:Base Sequence; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017931:DNA Primers; D005260:Female; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000821:virology; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000821:virology; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology; D014861:Washington
D017931:DNA Primers