title: Human papillomavirus type 16 E2-specific T-helper lymphocyte responses in patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.
abstract: T-cell-mediated immune responses against mucosal oncogenic types of human papillomaviruses (HPV) are thought to play a role in the control of the virus infection and its associated cervical lesions. The in vitro production of interleukin-2 by T-helper (Th) cells in response to the C-terminal and N-terminal domains of the HPV-16 E2 protein was determined in 74 women with cytological evidence of premalignant cervical epithelial neoplasia who participated in a non-intervention follow-up (FU) study. Cross-sectional analysis at the end of FU showed that Th cell responses against the C-terminal domain were associated with evidence of previous or present HPV-16 infection as compared to patients with no evidence of any HPV infection (18.9% versus 0%, P = 0.039). Th cell responses against the N-terminal domain were not associated with evidence of HPV-16 infection. No association with disease outcome was observed with Th cell responses against either of the E2 protein domains. However, longitudinal analysis revealed that Th cell responses against the C-terminal domain frequently occur at the time of virus clearance. Whether these responses are responsible for the clearance of the virus is not known.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology1 and Obstetrics and Gynaecology2, Free University Hospital, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hetty J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Bontkes
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology1 and Obstetrics and Gynaecology2, Free University Hospital, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Tanja D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: de Gruijl
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology1 and Obstetrics and Gynaecology2, Free University Hospital, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bijl
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology1 and Obstetrics and Gynaecology2, Free University Hospital, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: René H M
authors.initials: RHM
authors.lastname: Verheijen
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology1 and Obstetrics and Gynaecology2, Free University Hospital, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Chris J L M
authors.initials: CJLM
authors.lastname: Meijer
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology1 and Obstetrics and Gynaecology2, Free University Hospital, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rik J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Scheper
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Paterson Institute for Cancer Research, Christie Hospital NHS Trust, Manchester, UK3.
authors.forename: Peter L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Stern
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, YCR Cancer Research Unit, University of York, York, UK4.
authors.forename: Julie E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, YCR Cancer Research Unit, University of York, York, UK4.
authors.forename: Norman J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Maitland
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology1 and Obstetrics and Gynaecology2, Free University Hospital, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jan M M
authors.initials: JMM
authors.lastname: Walboomers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C054855:E2 protein, Human papillomavirus type 16; D007376:Interleukin-2; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral