In situ human papillomavirus (HPV) genotyping of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in South African and British patients:evidence for putative HPV integration in vivo

In South Africa asymptomatic wart virus infection diagnosed by morphological criteria occurs in 16-20% of all ethnic groups; the incidence in black women is 66%. To identify human papillomavirus (HPV) types the prevalence of HPV in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in South African women (n = 72) with age matched British women (n = 73) was compared by non-isotopic in situ hybridisation (NISH) using digoxigenin labelled probes for HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33 and 35 on archival biopsy specimens. A higher proportion of British biopsy specimens (68%) contained HPV than those from South Africa (50%) in CIN 2 and 3; this difference was due to HPV 16. Thirty six per cent of the positive biopsy specimens from South African women also contained HPV 33/35 compared with 16% in the United Kingdom. There was no difference in HPV detection with age in either group. These data indicate that HPV types vary geographically, with "minor" HPV types being more common in South Africa. Three qualitatively distinct NISH signals were observed; a diffuse (type 1) signal in superficial cells, mainly koilocytes; a punctate signal (type 2) in basal/"undifferentiated" cells in CIN 3; and combined type 1 and 2 signals in CIN with wart virus infection (type 3). The punctate signal may represent HPV integration

Interleukin 2 production in vitro by peripheral lymphocytes in response to human papillomavirus-derived peptides: correlation with cervical pathology

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is believed to be the major cause of cervical cancer. To investigate whether a cellular immune response, especially a T helper type 1 response, is related to the natural defense against HPV- related cervical lesions, the interleukin 2 response of peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro to overlapping peptides from HPV-16 E6 and E7 oncoproteins was compared with the degree of cervical cytological abnormality among 140 women in a cross-sectional study. We compared 66 women diagnosed with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL), 21 with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL), and 28 with invasive cervical cancer with 25 women who were cytologically normal but previously HPV-16 DNA positive. The fraction showing strong interleukin 2 production against HPV- 16 peptides was greatest among cytologically normal women (35%) and declined with increasing disease severity [LSIL] (20%), HSIL (17%), and cancer patients (7%); \u3c72 test P for the trend = 0.02], whereas the responses against a recall influenza antigen were not significantly different among groups. Our finding suggests that a T helper lymphocyte type 1 response to HPV antigens is associated with disease status. This result may reflect a targeted effect of the disease on immune function or a protective effect of the immune response against disease progression

Prevalence of human papillomavirus infection in rural villages of the Bolivian Amazon Prevalência da infecção pelo papilomavirus humano nas aldeias rurais do Amazonas Boliviano

Cervical cancer constitutes a major health problem in developing countries like Bolivia. The roles of certain genotypes of human papillomaviruses (HPVs) in the pathogenesis of cervical cancer is well established. The prevalence of HPV infection among sexually active women varies greatly. Information regarding HPV infection in Bolivia is very much scarce, specially in regions like the Amazonian lowland. We studied 135 healthy women living in four rural localities of the Bolivian Amazon. Presence of HPV in DNA extracted from cervical swabs was analyzed using a reverse line hybridization assay. The estimated overall HPV infection prevalence among the studied rural localities was 5.9% (ranging from 0-16.6%). These values were unexpectedly low considering Bolivia has a high incidence of cervical cancer. The fact that Amazonian people seem to be less exposed to HPV, makes it likely that some other risk factors including host lifestyle behaviors and genetic background may be involved in the development of cervical cancer in this population.<br>O câncer cervical constitui problema de saúde da maior importância nos países em desenvolvimento tais como a Bolívia. O papel de certos genótipos de papilomavirus humano (HPVs) na patologia do câncer cervical está bem estabelecido. A prevalência da infecção pelo HPV nas mulheres sexualmente ativas varia amplamente. Contudo, as informações existentes acerca da infecção pelo HPV na Bolivia são muito escassas, especialmente nas zonas rurais, nomeadamente na região amazônica do país. Foram estudadas 135 mulheres saudáveis, residentes em quatro localidades do Amazonas Boliviano. Foi detectada a presença de HPV no DNA extraído de esfregaços cervicais, utilizando o método de hibridização em linha reversa. A prevalência da infecção por HVP, encontrada nas localidades rurais, foi de 5,9% (variação entre 0-16,6%). Estes valores foram inesperadamente baixos, uma vez que a Bolívia é um país com alta incidência de câncer cervical. O fato da população do Amazonas parecer estar menos exposta ao HPV leva-nos a pensar que outros fatores de risco, inclusive estilos de vida e fatores genéticos, poderiam ter alguma relevância no desenvolvimento do câncer cervical nesta população