Lack of association between the presence and persistence of betapapillomavirus DNA in eyebrow hairs and betapapillomavirus L1 antibodies in serum

Abstract

Betapapillomavirus (bPV) DNA and seroresponses are highly prevalent in the general population and both are frequently used as infection markers in epidemiological studies to elucidate an association with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Little is known about the natural history of bPV infection and the aspects of infection that drive antibody responses. To investigate the relationship between these markers, this study assessed whether the presence or persistence of bPV DNA in eyebrow hairs and L1 antibodies of the same bPV type co-occurred more frequently than would be expected by chance in both a cross-sectional assessment and a longitudinal study. bPV DNA in plucked eyebrow hairs and L1 antibodies in serum were measured in 416 participants of the Australian community-based Nambour Skin Cancer Study in 1996. Similar data were available for a subset of 148 participants in 2003. Observed co-occurrence of bPV DNA and antibodies was compared with expected values based on prevalence. A case-wise concordance index was used to calculate the overall concordance of bPV DNA and antibodies of the same type. No significant associations were found between the presence or persistence of bPV DNA and antibody responses. The age and sex of the host did not influence the association, and nor did SCC status or a history of sunburns. It was concluded that bPV antibody responses in adults are not primarily driven by bPV infection as measured in eyebrow hairs. Other factors, such as viral load, may play a more pivotal role in the induction of detectable seroresponses. INTRODUCTIONHuman papillomaviruses of the genus Betapapillomavirus are non-enveloped, cutanotropic DNA viruses that may be associated with the development of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (zur Hausen, 1999). So far, 31 different bPV types have been fully sequenced (De Villiers & Gunst, 2009; Pfister et al., 2003).Epidemiological studies have shown that betapapillomavirus (bPV) DNA is frequently found in the hair bulbs of eyebrows and body hairs (Boxman et al., 1997), in normal skin swabs (Antonsson et al., 2000) and in biopsies from healthy people and transplant recipients without skin cancer , as well as in SCC tumour tissue (Asgari et al., 2008;Plasmeijer et al., 2010;Rollison et al., 2008;Weissenborn et al., 2005 2006). Antibodies against the bPV major capsid antigen L1 can be found in the serum of healthy controls as well as in patients with actinic keratoses and SCC, and have been associated with both tumour types in epidemiological studies (Bouwes Bavinck et al., 2000;Casabonne et al., 2007Casabonne et al., , 2009Favre et al., 2000;Feltkamp et al., 2003;Karagas et al., 2006;Masini et al., 2003;Stark et al., 1998;Struijk et al., 2006;Waterboer et al., , 2009.Little is known about the association between bPV DNA in hair follicles and serum antibodies. It might be expected that antibodies arise as a result of infection of the hair follicles with bPV DNA, but the specific aspects of bPV infection that drive antibody responses are currently unknown. ...

Seroprevalence of Trichodysplasia Spinulosa–associated Polyomavirus

“…This approach was based on Luminex technology and shown to be a reliable method for seroepidemiologic studies of papillomavirus and polyomavirus infections ( 19 , 21 , 33 , 35 , 36 ). The choice for VP1 as antigen of interest was governed by results of studies on BKV, JCV, and SV40 polyomavirus, which showed that the major capsid protein is immunodominant ( 19 ).…”

Beta genus papillomaviruses and skin cancer

“…The beta HPV type spectrum in eyebrow hair follicles is to a significant degree representative of different body sites suggesting generalized infection of the entire skin. Since eyebrow hairs have therefore served as easily collected marker in many recent epidemiological studies (Plasmeijer et al, 2010). …”

Viral oncogenesis and its role in nonmelanoma skin cancer

“…While serum antibodies to betaPV have been associated with SCC, 102–105 no specific high‐risk type has been identified 106,107 . In two studies, there was no correlation between the presence of HPV in skin biopsies and type‐specific seropositivity 108,109 . Seropositivity to multiple concurrent PV types has been found to be associated with SCC, 104,110 but this finding is inconsistent 107 .…”

“…106,107 In two studies, there was no correlation between the presence of HPV in skin biopsies and typespecific seropositivity. 108,109 Seropositivity to multiple concurrent PV types has been found to be associated with SCC, 104,110 but this finding is inconsistent. 107 A large-scale attempt to deconvolute multiple seropositivity with cluster and principle components analysis still failed to identify specific high-risk cutaneous types.…”