A human papillomavirus type 16 vaccine by oral delivery of L1 protein

To establish an edible HPV16 vaccine, we constructed a recombinant HPV16 L1-expressing Schizosaccharomyces pombe yeast strain (HPV16L1 yeast). A preliminary study revealed that freeze-dried yeast cells could be delivered safely, and were digested in the mouse intestine. The freeze-dried HPV16 L1 yeast was administered orally as an edible vaccine, with or without the mucosal adjuvant heat-labile toxin LT (R192G), to 18 female BALB/c mice. After the third immunization, none of the mice that received the edible HPV16 vaccine showed specific antibody responses, whereas all of the positive controls that were administered intranasally with 5 μg of HPV16-virus-like particles (VLP) had serum IgG, and genital IgA and IgG that reacted with HPV16-VLP in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). When a suboptimal dose (1 μg) of HPV16-VLP was administered to all the mice, including the negative control mice, 50% of the mice that were pre-immunized with the edible HPV16 vaccine showed positive serum IgG responses, while none of the negative controls showed any response. Vaginal IgG and IgA antibodies were also elicited in 33 and 39%, respectively, of the mice that were given with the edible HPV16 vaccine and the intranasal boost. All of the antibodies reacted more strongly to intact HPV16-VLP than to denatured HPV16-L1 protein suggesting that the edible vaccine primes for antibody responses against conformation-dependent epitopes. The inclusion of adjuvant in the vaccine formulation marginally increased the genital IgA response (P = 0.06). HPV16-L1 protein in the yeast might induce tolerance in the vaccinated animals that could be recovered by intranasal boosting with a suboptimal dose of HPV-VLP. This freeze-dried yeast system may be useful as an oral delivery of HPV 16 L1 protein.     

人16型乳头瘤病毒"假病毒"免疫保护作用的研究

目的评价构建的人16型乳头瘤病毒“假病毒”的免疫保护作用。方法利用杆状病毒表达系统在sf9昆虫细胞中表达组装了人16型乳头瘤病毒病毒样颗粒,将病毒样颗粒解聚后与真核表达质粒混合,重聚集成“假病毒”。用这种“假病毒”对小鼠进行免疫保护作用研究。结果小鼠经“假病毒”免疫后,可以在血清中检测到特异性的IgG,在阴道分泌物中检测到特异性的IgA,脾淋巴细胞可以检测特异性的CrrL活性。结论“假病毒”免疫能激活机体的免疫反应     

Identification of recombinant human papillomavirus type 16 variants

Intratypic diversity of human papillomavirus (HPV) genome is generally characterized by point mutation, insertion, and/or deletion. Using PCR-based cloning and sequencing, we detected concurrent infection with 8 HPV16 variants in a woman enrolled in the ASCUS-LSIL Triage Study. The European variant was the major variant; each of the 7 minor variants had partial DNA sequences identical to the European variant and another part identical to the African 2 variant. At a follow-up visit, only an HPV16 African 2 variant was detected. Results from the present study suggest presence of intratypic recombination of HPV genome in natural infection.     

Evidence of immune memory 8.5 years following administration of a prophylactic human papillomavirus type 16 vaccine

Background

The duration of protection conferred by prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) L1 virus-like particle vaccines is a critical determinant of their public health impact. A feature of vaccines that confer long-term immunity is their ability to induce immune memory.

Objectives

We evaluated antibody responses against HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18 following administration of the quadrivalent HPV-6/11/16/18 vaccine to women who had previously received a monovalent HPV-16 vaccine.

Study design

As part of an extended follow-up study conducted between 2006 and 2009 in Seattle, Washington, we administered the quadrivalent HPV-6/11/16/18 vaccine to 52 women (19 vaccine and 33 placebo recipients) who had participated in a monovalent HPV-16 vaccine trial 8.5 years earlier. Serum samples were tested for anti-HPV antibodies using competitive Luminex immunoassay.

Results

Following administration of the first dose of the quadrivalent HPV-6/11/16/18 vaccine, the anti-HPV-16 geometric mean titer among monovalent HPV-16 vaccine recipients (GMT = 5024.0 milli-Merck units per milliliter [mMU/mL]; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2710.1, 9313.6 mMU/mL) substantially exceeded that among the placebo recipients (GMT = 136.1; 95% CI: 78.5, 235.8 mMU/mL; p < 0.01) and their own highest anti-HPV-16 response observed during the original trial (GMT at month 7 of the original trial = 1552.7 mMU/mL; 95% CI: 1072.6, 2247.7 mMU/mL; p < 0.01).

Conclusions

The findings suggest that the administration of the three-dose regimen of the monovalent HPV-16 vaccine had produced memory lymphocytes, characterized by a heightened immune response following administration of the quadrivalent HPV-6/11/16/18 vaccine that effectively served as an antigen challenge.     

Macrophage killing of human papillomavirus type 16-transformed cells

Papillomaviruses (HPV) are involved in proliferation of epithelial cells and are implicated in several human malignancies. We determined the capability of activated macrophages to exert cytostatic and/or cytolytic activities against HPV type 16 DNA-transformed cells. Both NIH-3T3 and A31-3T3 cells transformed with HPV DNA were susceptible to killing by activated macrophages; however, transformed and nontransformed cells were not susceptible to killing by soluble mediators. The HPV-transformed cells were as resistant as their nontransformed counterparts to recombinant TNF-alpha. These data suggest that the killing of the HPV-16-transformed 3T3 cells by macrophages occurred by a mechanism independent of TNF-alpha.     

Codon modified human papillomavirus type 16 E7 DNA vaccine enhances cytotoxic T-lymphocyte induction and anti-tumour activity

Polynucleotide immunisation with the E7 gene of human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 induces only moderate levels of immune response, which may in part be due to limitation in E7 gene expression influenced by biased HPV codon usage. Here we compare for expression and immunogenicity polynucleotide expression plasmids encoding wild-type (pWE7) or synthetic codon optimised (pHE7) HPV16 E7 DNA. Cos-1 cells transfected with pHE7 expressed higher levels of E7 protein than similar cells transfected with pW7. C57BL/6 mice and F1 (C57x FVB) E7 transgenic mice immunised intradermally with E7 plasmids produced high levels of anti-E7 antibody. pHE7 induced a significantly stronger E7-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response than pWE7 and 100% tumour protection in C57BL/6 mice, but neither vaccine induced CTL in partially E7 tolerant K14E7 transgenic mice. The data indicate that immunogenicity of an E7 polynucleotide vaccine can be enhanced by codon modification. However, this may be insufficient for priming E7 responses in animals with split tolerance to E7 as a consequence of expression of E7 in somatic cells.     

Variants of human papillomavirus type 16 predispose toward persistent infection

A cohort study of 292 Chinese women was conducted to determine the relationship between human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 variants and persistent viral infection. Enrolled patients were HPV16 positive and had both normal cytology and histology. Flow-through hybridization and gene chip technology was used to identify the HPV type. A PCR sequencing assay was performed to find HPV16 E2, E6 and E7 gene variants. The associations between these variants and HPV16 persistent infection was analyzed by Fisher’s exact test. It was found that the variants T178G, T350G and A442C in the E6 gene, as well as C3158A and G3248A variants in the E2 gene were associated with persistent HPV16 infection. No link was observed between E7 variants and persistent viral infection. Our findings suggest that detection of specific HPV variants would help identify patients who are at high risk for viral persistence and development of cervical neoplasia.     

DNA vaccine encoding endosome-targeted human papillomavirus type 16 E7 protein generates CD4+ T cell-dependent protection

Human papillomavirus type 16 is commonly implicated in cervical cancers. The viral genome encodes potential targets like the oncoprotein E7, expressed in transformed cells but thought to represent a poorly immunogenic antigen. We describe in this work a DNA-based vaccination protocol aimed at inducing an efficient anti-E7 immune response in vivo. Plasmids allowing the expression of the E7 protein in distinct cellular compartments were generated and assayed in an in vivo model of tumor growth. Our data demonstrate that mice vaccinated with a plasmid encoding for an E7 protein fused to a domain of the MHC class II-associated invariant chain (IiE7) were protected against tumor challenge. Mice immunized against an ubiquitinated form of E7 (Ub(Ala)E7) failed to control tumor growth. Protection induced by IiE7 was correlated with the development of CD8+ CTL and required the presence of CD4+ cells. In vitro studies confirmed that the IiE7 fusion protein was expressed at high levels in the endosomal compartment of transfected cells, while the natural and the ubiquitin-modified form of E7 were mainly nuclear. The present study suggests that an efficient anti-tumor response can be induced in vivo by DNA constructs encoding for E7 protein forms localizing at the endosomal compartment.     

Oncogenic potential diverge among human papillomavirus type 16 natural variants

We compared E6/E7 protein properties of three different HPV-16 variants: AA, E-P and E-350G. Primary human foreskin keratinocytes (PHFK) were transduced with HPV-16 E6 and E7 and evaluated for proliferation and ability to grow in soft agar. E-P infected keratinocytes presented the lowest efficiency in colony formation. AA and E-350G keratinocytes attained higher capacity for in vitro transformation. We observed similar degradation of TP53 among HPV-16 variants. Furthermore, we accessed the expression profile in early (p5) and late passage (p30) transduced cells of 84 genes commonly involved in carcinogenesis. Most differences could be attributed to HPV-16 E6/E7 expression. In particular, we detected different expression of ITGA2 and CHEK2 in keratinocytes infected with AA and AA/E-350G late passage cells, respectively, and higher expression of MAP2K1 in E-350G transduced keratinocytes. Our results indicate differences among HPV-16 variants that could explain, at least in part, differences in oncogenic potential attributed to these variants.     

Functional dissociation of transforming genes of human papillomavirus type 16

Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 is thought to be responsible for development of cervical carcinomas, but the mechanism of its carcinogenic action is unknown. To determine which viral genes are involved in cellular transformation, we constructed recombinant murine retrovirus DNAs containing various subgenomic fragments of the HPV 16 early region and examined their transforming activities. The results show that the E6 and E7 ORFs are the transforming genes of HPV 16; the former governs the tumorigenicity in nude mice and the latter influences cell growth properties such as saturation density and colony formation in soft agar. There may also be a tumor-suppressing gene in the E1-E2 ORF region, because the tumorigenic activity of recombinant DNA containing the E1 ORF and the 5' portion of the E2 ORF in addition to the E6 and E7 ORFs was much lower than that of recombinant DNA containing only the E6 and E7 ORFs.     

Analysis of human papillomavirus type 16 polypeptides in transformed primary cells

The close association between human papillomavirus type 16 and cervical cancer implies some role for the virus in the development of this cancer. It has been demonstrated that HPV-16 DNA sequences in the presence of activated ras are capable of transforming primary baby rat kidney cells. This communication describes the characterization of these transformed cells. All cell lines are shown to be tumorigenic in immunocompetent rats and there is continued expression of the HPV-16 E6 and E7 polypeptides in a number of the cell lines analyzed, suggesting a role for at least one of these proteins in the maintenance of the transformed phenotype.     

Human papillomavirus type 16 DNA sequence

The complete nucleotide sequence of HPV16 DNA (7904 bp) cloned from an invasive cervical carcinoma was determined. Homology comparisons allowed us to align the major open reading frames with the other published papilloma virus DNA sequences. The general organization of the open reading frames is similar to that of the other four papillomavirus (BPV1, HPV1a, HPV6b, CRPV) already sequenced. The sequence reveals an interruption of the reading frame coding for a suspected E1 protein.     

A growth model of human papillomavirus type 16 designed from cellular automata and agent-based models

ObjectiveThis paper presents a conceptual model that is developed upon a characterization of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) which is used to build a simulation prototype of the HPV16 growth process.MethodologyThe human papillomavirus type 16 is the principal virus detected in invasive lesions of cervical cancer, and associated with the greater persistence and prevalence in pre-malignant and malignant lesions. The probability of acquiring an infection with HPV16 is extremely high in sexually active individuals. However, an HPV16 infection can disappear after becoming a histological confirmed case. According to the characterization of HPV16 proposed in this paper, cells as compared to a society behaves as a complex system, i.e., cells behave in a cooperative manner, following a set of rules defined by local interactions among them. Such complex system is defined by combining a cellular automaton and agent-based models. In this way, the behavior of the HPV16 is simulated by allowing the cellular automaton to follow such parameterized behavior rules.ResultsBoth cross-sectional and prospective studies indicate that HPV16 infection persistence increase the risk of high-grade CIN, as observed in the results provided by the growth simulation model of HPV16. The average growth rate extrapolated over 52 weeks (12 months) and calculated by the model showed a 37.87% growth for CIN1, 35.53% for CIN2 and 16.92% for CIN3. Remarkably, these results are similar to the results obtained and reported by clinical studies. For example, the results obtained using the proposed model for CIN2 and the results obtained by Östör [36], have a differential of 0.53 percentage points while have a differential of 2.23 percentage points with the results obtained by Insinga et al. [51]. Also, for the CIN3, the results obtained using the proposed model, have a differential of 2.92 percentage points with the Insinga et al. [52], results.ConclusionThrough the specification of parameterized behavior rules for HPV16 that are simulated under the combined technique of cellular automata and agent-based models, the HPV life cycle can be simulated allowing for observations at different stages. The proposed model then can be used as a support tool in the investigation of HPV16, in particular (as part of our future work) to develop drugs as agents in the control of the HPV16 disease.     

A deletion and point mutation study of the human papillomavirus type 16 major capsid gene

Recombinant human papillomavirus (HPV) virus-like particles (VLPs) made from the major capsid protein L1 are promising vaccine candidates for use as vaccines against genital and other HPV infections, and particularly against HPV-16. However, HPV-16 genotype variants have different binding affinities for neutralising mouse Mabs raised against HPV-16 L1 VLPs. This paper analyses, using a panel of well-characterised Mabs, the effects on the antigenicity of various C- and N-terminal deletants of HPV-16 L1 made in insect cells via recombinant baculovirus, of an A-->T mutation at residue 266 (A266T), and of a C-->G mutation at conserved position 428 (C428G). The effects of these changes on assembly of the variant L1s were studied by electron microscopy. Binding of Mab H16:E70 to A266T was reduced by almost half in comparison to wild type L1. Retention of the C-terminal region 428-483 was critical for the binding of conformation-specific Mabs (H16:V5, H16:E70, H16:U4 and H16:9A) whereas deletion of the nuclear localisation signal (NLS) or the C428G mutation or an N-terminal deletion (residues 2-9) did not affect the antigenicity. The N-terminal deletion resulted in a mixed population of 30 and 55nm VLPs, which differs from the same construct expressed in Escherichia coli, whereas pentamer aggregates resulted from deletion of the 428-465 region or the C428G mutation. The results have implications both for considering use of single-genotype HPV vaccines, and for design of novel second-generation vaccines.     

Type-specific and cross-reactive epitopes in human papillomavirus type 16 capsid proteins.

Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 infection is frequently associated with cancer of the uterine cervix, as well as with precancerous lesions. In order to generate serologic reagents which might be useful in the diagnosis of HPV 16 infection, rabbit polyclonal and mouse monoclonal antisera were raised to carboxy terminal peptides from the HPV 16 L1 and L2 open reading frames (ORFs). Anti-L1 and -L2 peptide sera recognized HPV 16 L1 and L2 fusion proteins in Western blots and by immunoprecipitation. In Western blot analysis of L1 proteins from different HPV types, antisera to the L1 peptide reacted only with HPV 16, thus identifying an HPV 16 type-specific linear epitope. Anti-L2 peptide sera reacted with L2 fusion proteins from HPVs 6 and 16, but not from BPV, thus identifying a partially cross-reactive epitope in the HPV 16 L2. Computer analysis of carboxy terminal amino acid sequences of the L1 and L2 ORFs of multiple HPV types supported the Western blot findings. Despite the HPV 16 type specificity found in Western blots, anti-L1 peptide sera identified nuclear antigen by immunocytochemistry in cervical biopsies infected with HPV 16, as well as other genital HPV types. Anti-L2 peptide sera failed to recognize antigen in infected tissue.     

人乳头瘤病毒16型中国株L1基因的体外真核表达

目的 构建人类乳头瘤病毒16型(HPV16)中国株晚期基因L1的真核表达系统.方法 将HPV16中国株L1基因从pCR2.1/HPV16L1定向亚克隆至pTacer-CMV载体,构建重组质粒pTaeer-CMV/HPV16L1,将重组质粒用脂质体转染N1H3T3、HeLa细胞,用透射电镜、SDS-PAGE、蛋白印迹等方法观察HPV16 L1蛋白的表达.结果 NIH3T3、HeLa细胞经pTacer-CMV/HPV16L1转染后,SDS-PAGE、蛋白印迹等实验显示可表达HPV16 L1蛋白,电镜下可见病毒样颗粒(VLP).结论 pTacer-CMV/HPV16L1构建成功,可在体外表达HPV16中国株L1蛋白.     

New molecular method for the detection of human papillomavirus type 16 integration

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the cause of cervical cancer. Integration of HPV-16 DNA in cervical cells is considered to be a key event in the progression towards invasive cancer, but little is known about this event in anal carcinogenesis. The integration could be a useful biomarker for cancer progression. Optimized assays are needed to determine the value of real-time detection of HPV integration in longitudinal studies, and this approach is only possible with a high-throughput assay. The aim of this study was to develop a new multiplex real-time PCR assay based on simultaneous amplification of the E2 and E6 HPV open reading frames (ORFs) in order to assess the physical status (episomal and/or integrated) of HPV-16 in anal cells of HIV-positive men. The comparative threshold (Ct) cycle values for E2 and E6 obtained for SiHA cells and artificial mixtures of episomal and integrated DNA were as expected: similar Ct for episomal forms and absence of E2 amplification for integrated forms. The multiplex real-time PCR was tested in 77 consecutive samples from individual HIV-infected patients with HPV-16 anal infection. The integration of HPV-16 was detected in 25 (32%) patients: 23 as mixed (episomal and integrated) and two as completed integrated forms. The integration occurs in the early stage of anal lesions and was associated with the severity of the lesions (p 0.004). The multiplex real-time PCR assay developed in the course of this study was shown to be a simple, sensitive, specific and inexpensive technique which may be applied routinely to detect HPV-16 integration.