title: Serum antibody response to the heat shock protein 60 of Chlamydia trachomatis in women with developing cervical cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine whether serum antibody response to the three versions of chlamydial heat shock protein 60 is associated with an increased risk for cervical cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women with cervical carcinoma were identified by linking the data files of three Nordic serum banks with cancer registries. Overall, 178 women with invasive cervical carcinoma were identified. For each case, the earliest prediagnostic serum sample was chosen, and three matched control subjects who were free of cancer at the time of the case diagnosis were selected randomly. Serum antibodies to the chlamydial heat shock protein 60 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and correlated with the risk of the subsequent development of cervical cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Antibodies to chlamydial heat shock protein 60-1 were associated with cervical squamous cell carcinoma among cases with long lag time (>3.5 years; odds ratio, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.1-5.1). Antibodies to chlamydial heat shock protein 60-2 or chlamydial heat shock protein 60-3 were not associated with cervical cancer risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The finding that chlamydial heat shock protein 60-1 antibodies are associated with an increased cervical cancer risk suggests that persistent Chlamydia trachomatis infection may contribute to cervical neoplasia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 2, 00290 Helsinki, Finland. jorma.paavonen@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: Jorma
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Paavonen
authors.forename: Karuna P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Karunakaran
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Noguchi
authors.forename: Tarja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Anttila
authors.forename: Aini
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bloigu
authors.forename: Joakim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dillner
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hallmans
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hakulinen
authors.forename: Egil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jellum
authors.forename: Pentti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Koskela
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lehtinen
authors.forename: Steinar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thoresen
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Caxia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Brunham
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000276:immunology*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D018834:Chaperonin 60