Human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16) and HPV52 E6-specific immunity in HIV-infected adults on combination antiretroviral therapy.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

Human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers disproportionately affect those infected with HIV despite effective combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). The primary aim of this study was to quantify HPV16 and HPV52 E6-specific interferon (IFN)-γ enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) T-cell responses, a correlate of protective immunity, in the first year following cART initiation and subsequently in those patients with suboptimal (sIR) and optimal (oIR) immune reconstitution.

METHODS:

Ninety-four HIV-infected patients were recruited to the study; a longitudinal cohort of patients recruited just prior to commencing cART and followed up for 48 weeks (n = 27), and a cross-sectional cohort (n = 67) consisting of patients with sIR (CD4 T-cell count < 350 cells/μL) and oIR (CD4 T-cell count > 500 cells/μL) after a minimum of 2 years on cART. Controls (n = 29) consisted of HIV-negative individuals. IFN-γ ELISPOT responses against HPV16 and HPV52 E6 were correlated to clinical characteristics, anal and oral HPV carriage, T-cell maturational subsets, markers of activation, senescence and T-regulatory cells.

RESULTS:

HPV16 and HPV52 E6-specific T-cell responses were detected in only one of 27 patients (3.7%) during the initial phase of immune recovery. After at least 2 years of cART, those who achieved oIR had significantly higher E6-specific responses (9 of 34; 26.5%) compared with those with sIR (2 of 32; 6.3%) (P = 0.029). Apart from higher CD4 T-cell counts and lower CD4 T-cell activation, no other immunological correlates were associated with the detection of HPV16 and HPV52 E6-specific responses.

CONCLUSIONS:

HPV16 and HPV52 E6-specific IFN-γ T-cell responses, a correlate of protective immunity, were detected more frequently among HIV-infected patients who achieved optimal immune recovery on cART (26.5%) compared with those with suboptimal recovery (6.3%).

• Authors: C Y Leng, H C Low, L L Chua, M L Chong, H Sulaiman, I Azwa, J M Roberts, A Kamarulzaman, R Rajasuriar, Y L Woo
• Journal: HIV medicine (HIV Med) Vol. 18 Issue 5 Pg. 321-331 (05 2017) ISSN: 1468-1293 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 27649852 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2016 British HIV Association.

Chemical References

• Anti-Retroviral Agents
• Oncogene Proteins, Viral
• Interferon-gamma

Topics

• Adult
• Anti-Retroviral Agents (therapeutic use)
• Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Enzyme-Linked Immunospot Assay
• Female
• Genotype
• HIV Infections (complications, drug therapy)
• Humans
• Interferon-gamma (metabolism)
• Leukocytes, Mononuclear (immunology)
• Longitudinal Studies
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Oncogene Proteins, Viral (immunology)
• Papillomaviridae (immunology)
• Papillomavirus Infections (immunology)