Background:More than 100 different human papillomaviruses (HPVs) can cause proliferative diseases, many of which are malignant, such as cervical cancer. HPV serology is complex because infection and disease lead to distinct type-specific antibody responses. Using bead-based technology, we have developed an assay platform that allows the simultaneous detection of antibodies against up to 100 in situ affinity-purified recombinant HPV proteins. Methods: Twenty-seven HPV proteins were expressed as glutathione S-transferase fusion proteins and affinity-purified in one step by incubation of glutathionedisplaying beads in bacterial lysate. Spectrally distinct bead sets, each carrying one particular antigen, were mixed, incubated with serum, and differentiated in a flow cytometer-like analyzer (xMAP; Luminex Corp). Antibodies bound to the antigens were detected via fluorescent secondary reagents. We studied 756 sera from 2 case-control studies of cervical cancer. Results: Glutathione S-transferase fusion proteins bound with high affinity to glutathione-displaying beads (K d ‫؍‬ 6.9 ؋ 10 ؊9 mol/L). The dynamic range of multiplex serology covered 1.5 orders of magnitude, and antibodies

The natural history of infections with many human papillomavirus (HPV) types is poorly understood. Here, we describe for the first time the age- and sex-dependent antibody prevalence for 29 cutaneous and five mucosal HPV types from 15 species within five phylogenetic genera (alpha, beta, gamma, mu, nu) in a general population. Sera from 1,797 German adults and children (758 males and 1,039 females) between 1 and 82 years (median 37 years) were analysed for antibodies to the major capsid protein L1 by Luminex-based multiplex serology. The first substantial HPV antibody reactions observed already in children and young adults are those to cutaneous types of the genera nu (HPV 41) and mu (HPV 1, 63). The antibody prevalence to mucosal high-risk types, most prominently HPV 16, was elevated after puberty in women but not in men and peaked between 25 and 34 years. Antibodies to beta and gamma papillomaviruses (PV) were rare in children and increased homogeneously with age, with prevalence peaks at 40 and 60 years in women and 50 and 70 years in men. Antibodies to cutaneous alpha PV showed a heterogeneous age distribution. In summary, these data suggest three major seroprevalence patterns for HPV of phylogenetically distinct genera: antibodies to mu and nu skin PV appear early in life, those to mucosal alpha PV in women after puberty, and antibodies to beta as well as to gamma skin PV accumulate later in life.

In a prospective pilot study nested in the EPIC-Oxford cohort, we examined the seroprevalence of antibodies against the L1 antigen of 38 human papilloma virus (HPV) types among 39 cases of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) for whom plasma was collected prior to diagnosis (incident) and 80 controls. Fifteen cases having already developed SCC at blood collection (prevalent) were also tested. There were no statistically significant differences in the seroprevalence of antibodies against any of the HPV types examined between incident cases and controls, nor was there a difference in the seroprevalence of multiple infections. However, consistent with results from published case-control studies, the seroprevalence of many b-HPV types was higher among prevalent cases than among either incident cases or controls. For example the seroprevalence of antibodies against HPV-8 was 20% (16/80) in controls, 23% (9/39) among incident cases and 40% (6/15) among prevalent cases. Among the incident cases only, the seroprevalence was 16% (5/32) among those for whom blood was collected 181 months prior to diagnosis, but 57% (4/7) among those for whom diagnosis was within 18 months of blood collection, a pattern seen for many of the HPV types. This might suggest that if HPV is involved in the aetiology of SCC, the process occurs close to the time of diagnosis, or that the antibody response observed in people with SCC is a consequence of tumor formation. Further and larger prospective studies are needed to clarify the role of HPV in the aetiology of cutaneous SCC. ' 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Key words: Epidemiology; human papillomavirus (HPV); serology; cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC); prospective case-control Nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), comprising basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in a ratio of about five to one, is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in white populations. Established risk factors include exposure to solar ultra-violet radiation and, for SCC in particular, immunosuppression, such as that experienced by organ transplant recipients.1-4 In addition, there is some evidence of an association between certain human papillomaviruses (such as HPV types 5 and 8) and the development of cutaneous SCC (but not basal).5 To date, more than 118 papillomaviruses have been completely described, of which about a hundred infect humans. 6 The alpha types, particularly HPV-16, 18, 33 and 45, are well established causes of cancer of the uterine cervix; the viral E6 and E7 proteins are associated with the degradation of tumor suppressors p53 and pRb, respectively. 7A role for HPV in the aetiology of skin cancers is uncertain, although evidence of possible molecular mechanisms is emerging with HPV probably working as a co-factor with ultraviolet radiation early in the development of SCC. 8Most studies of HPV and cutaneous SCC have used HPV-DNA detection methods to examine the association. Because of the high sensitivity of PCR methods and the ubiquity of HPV, previously unknown types are often identified...