title: The Mucosal Innate Immune Response in Primary Human Papillomavirus Infection: A Pilot Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study was to evaluate the mucosal immune response in women affected by primary human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, in comparison with HPV-negative women with no previous history of HPV.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case-control study comparing the activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and lactoferrin (LF) between 19 HPV-positive and 19 HPV-negative women matched for age. Plasmatic and cervicovaginal levels of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) exhibiting MPO and LF receptors were measured using cytofluorimetric analysis and expressed as mean of percentages.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cervicovaginal levels of MPO-/LF- PMN were lower among HPV-negative women, with a mean rate of 18.81% (SD, 21.38), as opposed to a mean rate of 35.56% (SD, 21.02) (P = 0.020) in HPV-positive women. A similar significant difference was not proven in plasma. The mean rates of plasmatic levels of MPO-/LF- PMN were 36.21% (SD, 16.87) and 36.93% (SD, 10.54) (P = 0.875) in cases and controls, respectively. All patients were evaluated 1 year later, and only 6 cases became negative.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of MPO-/LF- PMN has been considered as a marker of lower rate of apoptosis of HPV-infected cells. This could explain why HPV-positive women are less capable to deal with a primary infection.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pavia, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy; and 2Laboratory of Immunology and Allergology, Department of Pediatrics, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gardella
authors.forename: Anna Daniela
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Iacobone
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Musacchi
authors.forename: Isabel Giacoma
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Calvino
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Amici
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Torre
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bogliolo
authors.forename: Arsenio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spinillo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000032:analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000276:immunology*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000032:analysis; D010865:Pilot Projects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D009195:Peroxidase; D007781:Lactoferrin