The hypothesis that quiescent CD4+ T lymphocytes carrying proviral DNA provide a reservoir for human immunodeficiency virus-type 1 (HIV-1) in patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was examined. In a study of 22 patients successfully treated with HAART for up to 30 months, replication-competent virus was routinely recovered from resting CD4+ T lymphocytes. The frequency of resting CD4+ T cells harboring latent HIV-1 was low, 0.2 to 16.4 per 10(6) cells, and, in cross-sectional analysis, did not decrease with increasing time on therapy. The recovered viruses generally did not show mutations associated with resistance to the relevant antiretroviral drugs. This reservoir of nonevolving latent virus in resting CD4+ T cells should be considered in deciding whether to terminate treatment in patients who respond to HAART.

Summary Mounting evidence supports the concept that Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV) is a causal factor underlying most cases of a highly lethal form of skin cancer known as Merkel cell carcinoma. To explore the possibility that polyomaviruses commonly infect healthy human skin, we developed an improved rolling circle amplification (RCA) technique to isolate circular DNA viral genomes from skin swab specimens. Complete MCV genomes were recovered from 14/35 (40%) healthy adults, providing the first full-length, apparently wild-type cloned genomes for this polyomavirus species. RCA analysis also revealed the existence of two previously unknown polyomavirus species that we name human polyomavirus-6 (HPyV6) and HPyV7. Biochemical experiments show that polyomavirus DNA is shed from the skin in the form of assembled virions. A pilot serological study indicates that infection or co-infection with the three skin-tropic polyomaviruses is very common. Thus, at least three polyomavirus species are constituents of the human skin microbiome.

Although the papillomavirus structural proteins, L1 and L2, can spontaneously coassemble to form viruslike particles, currently available methods for production of L1/L2 particles capable of transducing reporter plasmids into mammalian cells are technically demanding and relatively low-yield. In this report, we describe a simple 293 cell transfection method for efficient intracellular production of papillomaviral-based gene transfer vectors carrying reporter plasmids. Using bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV1) and human papillomavirus type 16 as model papillomaviruses, we have developed a system for producing papillomaviral vector stocks with titers of several billion transducing units per milliliter. Production of these vectors requires both L1 and L2, and transduction can be prevented by papillomavirus-neutralizing antibodies. The stocks can be purified by an iodixanol (OptiPrep) gradient centrifugation procedure that is substantially more effective than standard cesium chloride gradient purification. Although earlier data had suggested a potential role for the viral early protein E2, we found that E2 protein expression did not enhance the intracellular production of BPV1 vectors. It was also possible to encapsidate reporter plasmids devoid of BPV1 DNA sequences. BPV1 vector production efficiency was significantly influenced by the size of the target plasmid being packaged. Use of 6-kb target plasmids resulted in BPV1 vector yields that were higher than those with target plasmids closer to the native 7.9-kb size of papillomavirus genomes. The results suggest that the intracellular assembly of papillomavirus structural proteins around heterologous reporter plasmids is surprisingly promiscuous and may be driven primarily by a size discrimination mechanism.Papillomaviruses are small nonenveloped viruses with double-stranded circular DNA genomes. They replicate in stratified squamous epithelial tissues, such as the skin or mucosa. The outermost layers of these tissues are thought to be relatively secluded from immunological surveillance. Papillomaviruses exploit this weakness by restricting virion production to the outer, terminally differentiated layers of the epithelium (36). A consequence of the extensive regulation of the late phase of the papillomavirus life cycle is that recapitulating the assembly of papillomaviruses in cultured cells has posed a substantial challenge. A variety of systems have been developed for in vitro production of infectious papillomaviruses and papillomavirus-based gene transfer vectors (which are also known as papillomavirus pseudoviruses) (5,6,16,25,28,35,41,47,49). However, currently available systems are technically demanding and relatively low-yield.Many details of the assembly of papillomaviruses remain unclear. Previous work using recombinant Semliki Forest virus (SFV) and vaccinia virus expression systems has shown that the papillomavirus minor virion protein, L2, can induce relocalization of the major virion protein, L1, to subnuclear domains known as promyelocytic oncogenic d...

Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most common sexually transmitted infection, and virtually all cases of cervical cancer are attributable to infection by a subset of HPVs (reviewed in ref. 1). Despite the high incidence of HPV infection and the recent development of a prophylactic vaccine that confers protection against some HPV types, many features of HPV infection are poorly understood. It remains worthwhile to consider other interventions against genital HPVs, particularly those that target infections not prevented by the current vaccine. However, productive papillomavirus infection is species- and tissue-restricted, and traditional models use animal papillomaviruses that infect the skin or oral mucosa. Here we report the development of a mouse model of cervicovaginal infection with HPV16 that recapitulates the establishment phase of papillomavirus infection. Transduction of a reporter gene by an HPV16 pseudovirus was characterized by histology and quantified by whole-organ, multispectral imaging. Disruption of the integrity of the stratified or columnar genital epithelium was required for infection, which occurred after deposition of the virus on the basement membrane underlying basal keratinocytes. A widely used vaginal spermicide, nonoxynol-9 (N-9), greatly increased susceptibility to infection. In contrast, carrageenan, a polysaccharide present in some vaginal lubricants, prevented infection even in the presence of N-9, suggesting that carrageenan might serve as an effective topical HPV microbicide.

Certain sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV) types are causally associated with the development of cervical cancer. Our recent development of high-titer HPV pseudoviruses has made it possible to perform high-throughput in vitro screens to identify HPV infection inhibitors. Comparison of a variety of compounds revealed that carrageenan, a type of sulfated polysaccharide extracted from red algae, is an extremely potent infection inhibitor for a broad range of sexually transmitted HPVs. Although carrageenan can inhibit herpes simplex viruses and some strains of HIV in vitro, genital HPVs are about a thousand-fold more susceptible, with 50% inhibitory doses in the low ng/ml range. Carrageenan acts primarily by preventing the binding of HPV virions to cells. This finding is consistent with the fact that carrageenan resembles heparan sulfate, an HPV cell-attachment factor. However, carrageenan is three orders of magnitude more potent than heparin, a form of cell-free heparan sulfate that has been regarded as a highly effective model HPV inhibitor. Carrageenan can also block HPV infection through a second, postattachment heparan sulfate–independent effect. Carrageenan is in widespread commercial use as a thickener in a variety of cosmetic and food products, ranging from sexual lubricants to infant feeding formulas. Some of these products block HPV infectivity in vitro, even when diluted a million-fold. Clinical trials are needed to determine whether carrageenan-based products are effective as topical microbicides against genital HPVs.

The papillomavirus capsid is a nonenveloped icosahedral shell formed by the viral major structural protein, L1. It is known that disulfide bonds between neighboring L1 molecules help to stabilize the capsid. However, the kinetics of inter-L1 disulfide bond formation during particle morphogenesis have not previously been examined. We have recently described a system for producing high-titer papillomavirus-based gene transfer vectors (also known as pseudoviruses) in mammalian cells. Here we show that papillomavirus capsids produced using this system undergo a maturation process in which the formation of inter-L1 disulfide bonds drives condensation and stabilization of the capsid. Fully mature capsids exhibit improved regularity and resistance to proteolytic digestion. Although capsid maturation for other virus types has been reported to occur in seconds or minutes, papillomavirus capsid maturation requires overnight incubation. Maturation of the capsids of human papillomavirus types 16 and 18 proceeds through an ordered accumulation of dimeric and trimeric L1 species, whereas the capsid of bovine papillomavirus type 1 matures into more extensively cross-linked forms. The presence of encapsidated DNA or the minor capsid protein, L2, did not have major effects on the kinetics or extent of capsid maturation. Immature capsids and capsids formed from L1 mutants with impaired disulfide bond formation are infectious but physically fragile. Consequently, capsid maturation is essential for efficient purification of papillomavirus-based gene transfer vectors. Despite their obvious morphological differences, mature and immature capsids are similarly neutralizable by various L1-and L2-specific antibodies.Papillomaviruses, which are etiologically implicated in the development of warts, cervical cancer, and other epithelial tumors, replicate in the stratified squamous epithelium of the skin or mucous membranes (reviewed in reference 18). The papillomavirus life cycle is closely tied to the epithelial differentiation program, which takes many days to complete. The eventual release of the nonenveloped virion is thought to depend primarily on the normal cellular disintegration typically seen near the surface of squamous epithelia.The complexity of mimicking stratified epithelial differentiation in culture has made it challenging to study the papillomaviral life cycle in vitro. As a result, much of what is known about papillomavirus morphogenesis has been learned by studying recombinant versions of the two viral structural proteins, L1 and L2. The major capsid protein, L1, can spontaneously self-assemble into 72-pentamer virus-like particles (VLPs) that closely resemble native papillomavirus virions (20). The minor capsid protein, L2, is important for papillomavirus infectivity (38), but its arrangement in the virion and its role in encapsidation of the 8-kb double-stranded circular viral genomic DNA remain unclear.We have recently described a system for generating hightiter papillomavirus-based gene transfer vectors (also known as...

Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV) is a newly-discovered human tumor virus found in 80% of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). The rate of MCV infection among persons without MCC is unknown. We developed a MCV virus-like particle (VLP) enzyme-linked immunoassay (EIA) that does not cross-react with human BK or murine polyomaviruses. Peptide mapping of the MCV VP1 gene and immunoblotting with denatured MCV VLP are less sensitive than the MCV EIA in detecting MCV antibodies suggesting antibody reactivity in this assay primarily targets conformational but not linear epitopes. Among MCC patients, all 21 (100%) patients tested with MCV-positive tumors had high serum MCV IgG but not high MCV IgM levels. Only 3 of 6 (50%) MCC patients with MCV-negative tumors were positive for MCV antibodies. Sera from most adults, including 107 of 166 (64%) blood donors, 63 of 100 (63%) commercial donors and 37 of 50 (74%) systemic lupus erythematosus patients, show evidence for prior MCV exposure. Age-specific MCV prevalence was determined by examining a cross-sectional distribution of 150 Langerhans cell histiocytosis (an unrelated neoplasm) patient sera. MCV prevalence increases from 50% among children age 15 years or younger to 80% among persons older than 50 years. We did not find evidence for vertical transmission among infants. Although past exposure to MCV is common among all adult groups, MCC patients have a markedly elevated MCV IgG response compared with control patients. Our study demonstrates that MCV is a widespread but previously unrecognized human infection. ' UICCKey words: Merkel cell polyomavirus; Merkel cell carcinoma; viruslike particles; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; serologic assay Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an uncommon skin cancer frequently having a poor prognosis. 1 It most often arises in chronically sun-exposed skin and occurs more commonly than expected among immunosuppressed persons, including AIDS patients, transplant recipients and elderly persons. 2 Feng et al. 3 used digital transcriptome subtraction, a high-throughput cDNA sequencing technique to search for viral sequences in MCC. Transcripts encoding a unique polyomavirus large tumor (T) antigen were recovered from one MCC tumor. 4 This led to full-length sequencing of a 5.4 kbp Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV) genome encoding viral protein (VP)1 and VP2 capsid genes and a multiply-spliced T antigen oncogene locus. Subsequent studies showed that MCV DNA is present in 70-80% of MCC tumors in persons from different geographic locations. [5][6][7][8] Substantial biological evidence supports MCV having an etiopathologic role for the majority of human MCC tumors. 9 Within MCC tumors, MCV is monoclonally-integrated into the host genome 4 and acquires T antigen mutations that prevent autonomous viral DNA replication but still allow the virus to target the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein. 10 These tumor-specific mutations eliminate the possibility that MCV is a secondary infection of MCC tumors. Tumor cells in MCV-positive tumors express abundant MCV T...

Sensitive high-throughput neutralization assays, based upon pseudoviruses carrying a secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) reporter gene, were developed and validated for human papillomavirus (HPV)16, HPV18, and bovine papillomavirus 1 (BPV1). SEAP pseudoviruses were produced by transient transfection of codon-modified papillomavirus structural genes into an SV40 T antigen expressing line derived from 293 cells, yielding sufficient pseudovirus from one flask for thousands of titrations. In a 96-well plate format, in this initial characterization, the assay was reproducible and appears to be as sensitive as, but more specific than, a standard papillomavirus-like particle (VLP)-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The neutralization assay detected type-specific HPV16 or HPV18 neutralizing antibodies (titers of 160-10240) in sera of the majority of a group of women infected with the corresponding HPV type, but not in virgin women. Sera from HPV16 VLP vaccinees had high anti-HPV16 neutralizing titers (mean: 45000; range: 5120-163840), but no anti-HPV18 neutralizing activity. The SEAP pseudovirus-based neutralization assay should be a practical method for quantifying potentially protective antibody responses in HPV natural history and prophylactic vaccine studies.