Human papillomavirus DNA detected in peripheral blood samples from healthy Australian male blood donors

Abstract

Recent studies have shown that human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA can be found in circulating blood, including peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), sera, plasma, and arterial cord blood. In light of these findings, DNA extracted from PBMCs from healthy blood donors were examined in order to determine how common HPV DNA is in blood of healthy individuals. Blood samples were collected from 180 healthy male blood donors (18-76 years old) through the Australian Red Cross Blood Services. Genomic DNA was extracted and specimens were tested for HPV DNA by PCR using a broad range primer pair. Positive samples were HPV-type determined by cloning and sequencing. HPV DNA was found in 8.3% (15/180) of the blood donors. A wide variety of different HPV types were isolated from the PBMCs; belonging to the cutaneous beta and gamma papillomavirus genera and mucosal alpha papillomaviruses. High-risk HPV types that are linked to cancer development were detected in 1.7% (3/180) of the PBMCs. Blood was also collected from a healthy HPV-positive 44-year-old male on four different occasions in order to determine which blood cell fractions harbor HPV. PBMCs treated with trypsin were negative for HPV, while non-trypsinized PBMCs were HPV-positive. This suggests that the HPV in blood is attached to the outside of blood cells via a protein-containing moiety. HPV was also isolated in the B cells, dendritic cells, NK cells, and neutrophils. To conclude, HPV present in PBMCs could represent a reservoir of virus and a potential new route of transmission.

High prevalence of human papillomaviruses in fresh frozen breast cancer samples

“…Additionally in two separate studies, HPV-16 was found to be present in breast tumors that occurred in European women with HPV-16 associated cervical cancer [Hennig et al, 1999b;Widschwendter et al, 2004], thus raising the possibility that HPV may be transmitted by hand from the female perineum to the breast. However recent evidence has been demonstrated for the hematological carriage of HPV on peripheral blood mononuclear cells which could provide an alternative pathway for the transmission of the virus to the breast [Bodaghi et al, 2005;Chen et al, 2009].…”

Polymerase chain reaction detection of avipox and avian papillomavirus in naturally infected wild birds: comparisons of blood, swab and tissue samples

“…This was anticipated as papillomavirus infects squamous epithelial cells (de Villiers et al, 2004;White & Howley, 2013) and is often considered to be non-circulatory (Howley & Lowy, 2007), although some authors report the detection of papillomavirus in blood and other non-epithelial cell types (Yaguiu et al, 2008;Chen et al, 2009).…”

PBMCs are additional sites of productive infection of bovine papillomavirus type 2

“…BPV-1/-2 E5 DNA has been detected in PBMCs of cattle suffering from urothelial tumours of the urinary bladder and horses affected by sarcoids (Brandt et al, 2008). Furthermore, the expression of BPV-2 E5 oncoprotein has been shown in PBMCs of haematuric cattle by both RT-PCR and Western blotting; immunocytochemical investigations on cytospin preparations from PBMCs showed that E5 was localized mainly in the cytoplasm of lymphocytes .Although further epidemiological studies are required to improve our understanding of PV transmission (IARC, 2007), it has been suggested that PBMCs may be PV carriers and blood may be a potential new route of transmission (Bodaghi et al, 2005;Chen et al, 2009;Roperto et al, 2008).In this report, we have clearly documented expression of the BPV-2 E5 oncoprotein and L1 capsid protein in PBMC subsets derived from cows affected by urinary bladder tumours.This study shows, for the first time, which blood cell subpopulations are involved in the potential spread of the virus by the bloodstream and that productive infections by BPVs can take place in PBMCs. …”