title: Specific serum IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies to human papillomavirus types 6, 11, 16, 18 and 31 virus-like particles in human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive women.
abstract: To evaluate the humoral immune response to human papillomavirus (HPV) in women infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), serum samples of 83 HIV-positive individuals were analysed by ELISA for specific antibodies of the isotypes IgG, IgA and IgM recognizing HPV-6, -11, -16, -18 and -31 L1 virus-like particles (VLPs). Papillomavirus-related lesions were present in 30 of 83 HIV-positive women. Twenty-one women (25%) presented with high-/intermediate-grade anogenital squamous intraepithelial lesions. PCR analysis and sequencing for HPV typing was done from biopsy specimens of 18 women; PCR-positive results were obtained in 90% of cases. In addition, HPV DNA hybrid capture assays were performed from cervical swabs of 58 HIV-positive women, 53% of whom had a positive result for high-risk HPV. Overall, positive IgG reactivity to HPV-6/-11 and HPV-16/-18/-31 was seen in 19%/31% and 49%/30%/24% of HIV-positive women, respectively. HPV-seropositivity was even higher than in 48 HIV-negative cervical intraepithelial neoplasia/cancer patients with percentages as follows: 8%/2% and 31%/15%/15%. This difference was significant for HPV-16 (P=0.046). IgA responses were comparable to IgG. IgM responses were low. The extraordinarily high rate of antibodies to the capsid protein L1 of high-risk HPVs (HPV-16, -18 and/or -31) in 58% of HIV-positive women compared to 19% (P=0.00001) of 102 healthy HIV-negative control women suggests a high lifetime cumulative exposure to HPV and increased expression of capsid proteins due to cellular immunodeficiency in HIV-infected women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Clinic, Anichstrabetae 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria. anton.petter@uibk.ac.at
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petter
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heim
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guger
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciresa-Kö Nig
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sarcletti
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wieland
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pfister
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zangerle
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Höpfl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D012307:Risk Factors; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M