Antibodies to human papillomavirus 16 L1 virus-like particles as an independent prognostic marker in cervical cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types such as HPV-16 is a major risk factor for the development of cervical cancer. HPV-16 capsid antibodies are detectable in approximately 50% of patients with HPV-16 DNA-positive cervical cancer. We investigated the prognostic significance of HPV capsid antibodies for survival in patients with cervical cancer in comparison with conventional clinicopathologic features such as staging, histologic grading, histology, age, and treatment modality.


METHODS
Serum samples from 68 patients with cervical cancer and 65 healthy female control subjects were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for HPV-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to baculovirus expressed HPV-6, HPV-11, HPV-16, and HPV-18 L1 virus-like particles (VLPs).


RESULTS
HPV-16 L1 IgG antibodies were detectable in 6 of 65 (9%) of the control subjects and in 19 of 68 (28%) of the patients with cervical cancer (P =.007). In the subgroup of patients with HPV-16 DNA-positive cervical cancer (comprising 50% of the investigated samples), HPV-16 L1 antibodies were detected in 40%. HPV-16 L1 seropositivity was in univariate and multivariate analysis in addition to International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage, the only independent positive prognostic factor for overall survival (P =.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Antibodies to HPV-16 L1 were found to be an independent prognostic factor for overall survival in patients with cervical cancer. Thus, HPV-16 infection may be involved not only in oncogenesis but also in tumor development and behavior.
Heim
Kurt
K
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
Widschwendter
Andreas
A
Pirschner
Gudrun
G
Wieland
Ute
U
Awerkiew
Sabine
S
Christensen
Neil D
ND
Bergant
Anton
A
Marth
Christian
C
Höpfl
Reinhard
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology*; D014771:Virion / Q000276:immunology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; C063317:L1 protein, Human papillomavirus type 16