title: [Immunologic aspects of infections with papillomaviruses. Prospects for a vaccine].
abstract: Human papillomaviruses induce benign or malignant epithelial proliferations in both skin or mucosa and are involved in the development of anogenital cancer. One can consider two approaches towards vaccine development: prevention of infection by prophylactic induction of virus neutralizing antibodies or therapeutic vaccination which would lead to regression of already existing lesions. Neutralizing antibodies are directed against 3-dimensional structures on intact virions. Such antibodies which are protective in model systems can be induced safely by DNA-free "virus-like-particles". These constructs are candidates for a prophylactic vaccine. A further approach to optimize the vaccination strategy concentrates on immunotherapy of precancerous or malignant lesions by induction of a specific cell-mediated immune response. Hypothetically the transforming papillomavirus proteins which are expressed in basal layers of the epidermis could be used as a therapeutic vaccine in the form of synthetic peptides.
authors.affiliation: Universitätsklinik für Dermatologie und Venerologie, Innsbruck.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Höpfl
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000276:immunology*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines; D014765:Viral Vaccines