Human Papillomavirus Type Research Articles

Enhancing CRISPR/Cas-mediated electrochemical detection of nucleic acid using nanoparticle-labeled covalent organic frameworks reporters

Molecular detection of nucleic acid plays an important role in early diagnosis and therapy of disease. Herein, a novel and enhanced electrochemical biosensor was exploited based on target-activated CRISPR/Cas12a system coupling with nanoparticle-labeled covalent organic frameworks (COFs) as signal reporters. Hollow spherical COFs (HCOFs) not only served as the nanocarriers of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)-DNA conjugates for enhanced signal output but also acted as three-dimensional tracks of CRISPR/Cas12a system to improve the cleavage accessibility and efficiency. The presence of target DNA triggered the trans-cleavage activity of the CRISPR/Cas12a system, which rapidly cleaved the AgNPs-DNA conjugates on HCOFs, resulting in a remarkable decrease of the electrochemical signal. As a proof of concept, the fabricated biosensing platform realized highly sensitive and selective detection of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) DNA ranging from 100 fM to 1 nM with the detection limit of 57.2 fM. Furthermore, the proposed strategy provided a versatile and high-performance biosensor for the detection of different targets by simple modification of the crRNA protospacer, holding promising applications in disease diagnosis.

Analysis of the clinical characteristics and surgical methods of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions of the cervix in postmenopausal women: A retrospective case study.

The purpose of this study was to thoroughly evaluate the clinical features and surgical options for high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) in postmenopausal women. A total of 308 patients diagnosed with HSIL through colposcopic cervical biopsy and endocervical curettage were included. Their clinical characteristics, surgical treatments, and postoperative pathology were analyzed. Key findings include: 1. Patients with positive preoperative thinprep cytologic test (TCT) results and postoperative pathology indicating HSIL or squamous cell carcinoma (≥HSIL) were significantly more frequent than those with negative preoperative TCT results (P < .05). 2. Univariate analysis indicated significant impacts of TCT, human papillomavirus (HPV) type, transformation zone (TZ) location, and surgical technique on postoperative pathology (P < .05). 3. Logistic regression analysis confirmed significant influences of TCT, HPV type, TZ location, and surgical method on postoperative pathology outcomes (P < .05), showing that each unit increase in TZ raised the probability of ≥HSIL in postoperative pathology by 49.7%. In surgical comparisons, cold knife conization (CKC) and extrafascial hysterectomy resulted in 8.379 and 4.427 times higher probabilities of ≥HSIL in postoperative pathology, respectively, compared to loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP). 4. Surgical methods significantly influenced margin results (P < .05). After LEEP, 17.5% of cases had positive margins, compared to 9.4% after CKC, and 3.7% after extrafascial hysterectomy, indicating the highest rate of positive surgical margins occurred with LEEP. 1. Combined TCT and HPV screening is crucial for cervical cancer prevention, early detection, and management in postmenopausal women. Women with positive results for both TCT and HPV should undergo colposcopic cervical biopsy and endocervical curettage. 2. For patients with TZ3, CKC is the recommended surgical option. 3. CKC is the preferred treatment for postmenopausal women with HSIL, as it effectively diagnoses and treats the lesion, showing superior outcomes in managing postmenopausal HSIL.

Vaccination with a Human Papillomavirus L2 Multimer Provides Broad Protection against 17 Human Papillomavirus Types in the Mouse Cervicovaginal Challenge Model.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a prevalent cause of mucosal and cutaneous infections and underlying conditions ranging from benign warts to anogenital and oropharyngeal cancers affecting both males and females, notably cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths among women globally and is the most impactful in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where the costs of screening and licensed L1-based HPV vaccines pose significant barriers to comprehensive administration. Additionally, the licensed L1-based HPV vaccines fail to protect against all oncogenic HPV types. This study generated three independent lots of an L2-based target antigen (LBTA), which was engineered from conserved linear L2-protective epitopes (aa11-88) from five human alphapapillomavirus genotypes in E. coli under cGMP conditions and adjuvanted with aluminum phosphate. Vaccination of rabbits with LBTA generated high neutralizing antibody titers against all 17 HPV types tested, surpassing the nine types covered by Gardasil®9. Passive transfer of naïve mice with LBTA antiserum revealed its capacity to confer protection against vaginal challenge with all 17 αHPV types tested. LBTA shows stability at room temperature over >1 month. Standard in vitro and in vivo toxicology studies suggest a promising safety profile. These findings suggest LBTA's promise as a next-generation vaccine with comprehensive coverage aimed at reducing the economic and healthcare burden of cervical and other HPV+ cancers in LMICs, and it has received regulatory approval for a first-in-human clinical study (NCT05672966).

A designathon to co-create HPV screening and vaccination approaches for mothers and daughters in Nigeria: findings from a community-led participatory event

BackgroundOncogenic types of human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection cause substantial morbidity and mortality in Nigeria. Nigeria has low cervical cancer screening and vaccination rates, suggesting the need for community engagement to enhance reach and uptake. We organised a designathon to identify community-led, innovative approaches to promote HPV screening and vaccination for women and girls, respectively, in Nigeria. A designathon is a three-phase participatory process informed by design thinking that includes the preparation phase that includes soliciting innovative ideas from end-users, an intensive collaborative event to co-create intervention components, and follow-up activities.MethodsWe organised a three-phase designathon for women (30-65yrs) and girls (11-26yrs) in Nigeria. First, we launched a national crowdsourcing open call for ideas on community-driven strategies to support HPV screening among women and vaccination among girls. The open call was promoted widely on social media and at in-person gatherings. All eligible entries were graded by judges and 16 exceptional teams (with 4-6members each). All six geo-political zones of Nigeria were invited to join an in-person event held over three days in Lagos to refine their ideas and present them to a panel of expert judges. The ideas from teams were reviewed and scored based on relevance, feasibility, innovation, potential impact, and mother-daughter team dynamics. We present quantitative data on people who submitted and themes from the textual submissions.ResultsWe received a total of 612 submissions to the open call from mother-daughter dyads. Participants submitted ideas via a website designated for the contest (n = 392), in-person (n = 99), email (n = 31), or via an instant messaging application (n = 92). Overall, 470 were eligible for judging after initial screening. The average age of participants for daughters was 19 years and 39 years for mothers. Themes from the top 16 proposals included leveraging local leaders (5/16), faith-based networks (4/16), educational systems (4/16), and other community networks (7/16) to promote awareness of cervical cancer prevention services. After an in-person collaborative event, eight teams were selected to join an innovation training boot camp, for capacity building to implement ideas.ConclusionsInnovative strategies are needed to promote HPV screening for mothers and vaccination for girls in Nigeria. Our designathon was able to facilitate Nigerian mother-daughter teams to develop cervical cancer prevention strategies. Implementation research is needed to assess the effectiveness of these strategies.

Cervical HPV infection and related diseases among 149,559 women in Fujian: an epidemiological study from 2018 to 2023.

To comprehensively analyze the epidemiological features of human papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV-related cervical diseases in females aged 35-64 years. A total of 149,559 samples of exfoliated cervical cells screened for HPV and related cervical lesions from January 2018 to December 2023 were enrolled. The prevalence of 15 high-risk and 6 low-risk HPV genotypes were detected, and the cervical cytology were analyzed. The impact of single and multiple HPV infections was characterized, and the effect of age was studied. The cervix cytology was normal in 86.60% of the females, while 7.13% of the females were diagnosed with cervix inflammation, 0.60% with ASC-US, 0.22% with ASC-H, 0.72% with LSIL, 0.49% with HSIL, 0.03% with ICC. The highest median age was observed in ASC-H group with 54 years old. Females with primary school education or lower have the highest positive rates. The overall HPV prevalence was 8.60%. The relatively prevalent HPV types were HPV52, 58, 16, 39, 51. HPV16, HPV18, HPV58, HPV33 and HPV52 were the top5 predominant types in ICC patients. 17.41% females suffered from multiple HPV infection with the most frequently co-infection subtypes being HPV52, HPV58 and HPV16. The prevalence of all HPV subtypes increased with age. Multiple HPV infections accounted for a larger proportion in those aged above 55 years. The peak HPV16 prevalence was observed in ICC group in cases aged 45-49 and 55-59. The peak HPV33 prevalence was observed in younger individuals aged 40-44 who developed ICC. More action should be taken against HPV33 infection.

Aloysia citrodora extract as a chemopreventive agent against HPV16-induced lesions: findings from K14-HPV16 mice

Aim: Aloysia citrodora has a long history of traditional use in treating various ailments. This study evaluated the in vivo chemopreventive efficacy and systemic toxicity of an extract of A. citrodora in a transgenic mouse model of HPV16 (human papillomavirus type 16)-induced cancer. Methods: The experiment involved six groups (n = 5): group 1 (G1, wild-type (WT), water), group 2 (G2, HPV, water), group 3 (G3, WT, 0.013 g/mL), group 4 (G4, HPV, 0.006 g/mL), group 5 (G5, HPV, 0.008 g/mL), and group 6 (G6, HPV, 0.013 g/mL). Throughout the assay, humane endpoints, body weight, food, and water consumption were recorded weekly. The internal organs and skin of the mice were collected for analysis after they were sacrificed. Toxicological parameters that were studied included hematological and biochemical blood markers, splenic and hepatic histology, and hepatic oxidative stress. Results: A. citrodora extract seems to reduce the incidence of dysplastic and in situ carcinoma skin lesions induced by HPV16 in this model, suggesting that dietary supplementation with concentrations of 0.008 g/mL and 0.013 g/mL may have beneficial chemopreventive effects. Conclusions: The extract did not induce any concentration-dependent toxicological effects on any of the parameters included in the study, indicating a favorable toxicological profile under these experimental conditions.

Highly sensitive and specific detection of human papillomavirus type 16 using CRISPR/Cas12a assay coupled with an enhanced single nanoparticle dark-field microscopy imaging technique

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a prevalent sexually transmitted pathogen associated with cervical cancer. Detecting high-risk HPV (hr-HPV) infections is crucial for cervical cancer prevention, particularly in resource-limited settings. Here, we present a highly sensitive and specific sensor for HPV-16 detection based on CRISPR/Cas12a coupled with enhanced single nanoparticle dark-field microscopy (DFM) imaging techniques. Ag–Au satellites were assembled through the hybridization of AgNPs-based spherical nucleic acid (Ag-SNA) and AuNPs-based spherical nucleic acid (Au-SNA), and their disassembly upon target-mediated cleavage by the Cas12a protein was monitored using DFM for HPV-16 quantification. To enhance the cleavage efficiency and detection sensitivity, the composition of the ssDNA sequences on Ag-SNA and Au-SNA was optimized. Additionally, we explored using the SynSed technique (synergistic sedimentation of Brownian motion suppression and dehydration transfer) as an alternative particle transfer method in DFM imaging to traditional electrostatic deposition. This addresses the issue of inconsistent deposition efficiency of Ag–Au satellites and their disassembly due to their size and charge differences. The sensor achieved a remarkable limit of detection (LOD) of 10 fM, lowered by 9-fold compared to traditional electrostatic deposition methods. Clinical testing in DNA extractions from 10 human cervical swabs demonstrated significant response differences between the positive and negative samples. Our sensor offers a promising solution for sensitive and specific HPV-16 detection, with implications for cancer screening and management.

Attitudes toward an HPV vaccine for condyloma acuminata and willingness to undergo vaccination among STD clinic attendees in China: Focus on STI prevention with HPV vaccine

BackgroundCondyloma acuminata (CA) is a common, and recurrent sexually transmitted disease (STD) that greatly contributes to direct health care costs and has a substantial psychosocial impact. Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination (containing L1 protein for HPV types 6 and 11) effectively controls CA.ObjectivesWe investigated attitudes toward the HPV vaccine for CA and willingness to undergo vaccination among STD clinic attendees in China.MethodsAttendees at STD clinics at two selected hospitals in Guangdong and Jiangsu Provinces from May to September 2017 were requested to complete a self-administered questionnaire for this cross-sectional study.ResultsThe participants’ median age was 28 years (IQR: 24.0–34.0), and the sex ratio was balanced; 63.5% were from Guangdong, 36.5% were from Jiangsu, and 44.5% had a history of CA. The vaccine acceptance rate was high among the participants (85.8%,235/274) to whom the HPV vaccine for CA was available, especially among those who had heard of CA (89.0%, AOR = 3.14, 95% CI: 1.29–7.63, p = 0.0114). 95 (34.7%) of 274 participants had a positive attitude toward the HPV vaccine for CA. STD clinic attendees who had heard of the connection between HPV and CA (AOR = 2.56, 95% CI: 1.31-5.00, p = 0.0060), had heard of the HPV vaccines or cervical cancer vaccines (AOR = 1.90, 95% CI: 1.02–3.54, p = 0.0444) and had ever proactively discussed CA or the vaccine with others (AOR = 1.95, 95% CI:1.00-3.79, p = 0.0488) had better attitudes toward the HPV vaccine for CA. Over half of the participants (52.5%) expected the price of the HPV vaccine for CA to be under $90.ConclusionThe acceptance of the HPV vaccine for CA was high among STD clinic attendees in China, and the participants’ self-perceived knowledge of CA and HPV was associated with better attitudes toward the HPV vaccine for CA. Education to improve knowledge is vital for reducing vaccine hesitancy.

Genotype profile of HPV in ASC-H cytology and histologic follow-up-prevalence, distribution, and risk: A retrospective study of 1414 cases.

A cytologic diagnosis of atypical squamous cells, cannot exclude high-grade squamous lesion (ASC-H) poses a disproportionately high risk of cervical cancer development. The objective of this study was to analyze type-specific risks by mapping human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes in ASC-H cytology. In total, 1,048,581 Papanicolaou tests that had ASC-H cytology were retrieved. Concurrent HPV genotyping using proprietary multiplex real-time (MRT) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) HPV tests and histologic follow-up findings were analyzed. Among 1678 patients who had ASC-H findings (0.16%), 1414 (84.3%) underwent concurrent HPV genotyping (MRT, 857; HPV PCR test, 557). The overall high-risk HPV (hrHPV)-positive rate was 84.4%. Of the 857 MRT cases, 63.9% were infected with a single hrHPV, and 24.4% had multiple genotypes. The most prevalent HPV types were HPV16/52/58/33/31. Lesions that were identified as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 or worse (CIN2+) were detected in 498 of 906 cases (55.0%), including 81 cervical carcinomas (8.9%). The risk of CIN2+ for the composite group of HPV16/52/58/33/31-positive cases was 62.7%, representing 90.7% (264 of 291) of total CIN2+ lesions in ASC-H/hrHPV-positive cases by MRT. CIN2+ lesions were detected in 108 of 142 (76.1%) HPV16-positive and/or HPV18-positive women by the PCR the HPV test. Among 128 hrHPV-negative ASC-H cases by both methods, CIN2+ lesions were identified in 21 of 128 (16.4%), including five cervical carcinomas (3.9%). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for patients in the composite group with HPV16/52/58/33/31 were 88.0%, 40.8%, 62.7%, and 75.0%, respectively. Papanicolaou tests classified as ASC-H are associated with a high CIN2+ rate and warrant colposcopy, regardless of HPV status. The extent to which the risk-stratification provided by comprehensive HPV genotyping can inform the management of ASC-H cytology remains to be explored.

Prevalence of Oral Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in Patients with Genital HPV Infections: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background and aims: The relationship between oral-genital infections caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) in men and women is not well studied. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the prevalence of concurrent and concordant oral-genital HPV infection. Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted by selecting 89 articles from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, exclusively searching for English studies published in international journals up to June 2023. The study summarized the percentages of concurrent (presence of any HPV in both oral and genital sites) and concordant (presence of the same types of HPV in both oral and genital sites) oral-genital HPV infections. The quality of these studies was evaluated using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies (QATQS). Moreover, meta-analysis was done using comprehensive meta-analysis (CMA) software with a random-effects method at a significant level of 0.05. Results: The meta-analysis incorporated a total of 86 articles. Based on QATQS, 83% of these studies achieved ‘Moderate’ ratings. The overall prevalence of concurrent oral-genital HPV infection was 15.5% (95% CI: 11.2–21) in women and 14% (95% CI: 8–23.3) in men. The concordance rate was 41.9% (95% CI: 33.8–50.5) in women and 32.2% (95% CI: 11–64.7) in men. Additionally, the prevalence of genital and oral HPV infections was 61% (95% CI: 21.3–90.6) and 9.5% (95% CI: 7.7–11.7), respectively. Conclusion: This meta-analysis showed that the high prevalence of genital HPV and oral-genital HPV can be a reason for the possibility of self-contamination.

Do HPV 16 positive/ASC-H cervical cancer screening results predict CIN 2+ better than other high-risk HPV subtypes?

To determine whether patients with atypical squamous cells, cannot exclude high grade squamous intraepithelial neoplasia (ASC-H) cytology have a correlation between high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) type and CIN 2+1 lesion in final pathology. The study was conducted retrospectively, using data from three tertiary gynecologic oncology centers located in various regions of Turkey. Data from 5,271 patients who had colposcopy between January 2003 and January 2021 were analyzed. A total of 163 patients who had ASC-H cervical cytology test results, based on the Bethesda 2014 classification were eligible, and of these 83 (50.9%) who tested positive for HPV were included in the study. There was no correlation between the occurrence of CIN 2+ lesions and age (p=0.053). If there was any HPV 16 positivity (only HPV 16, HPV 16 and 18, HPV 16 and others) the presence of CIN 2+ lesions in the final pathology increased significantly. In HPV 16 positive ASC-H patients, the probability of CIN 2+ lesions in the final pathology were 72.5% while this rate was 48.1% in HPV 16 negative group (p=0.033). The guidelines do not provide a comprehensive definition of the role of the HPV test in managing ASC-H. Positive high-risk HPV types, especially HPV 16, together with an ASC-H smear result should bring to mind the possibility of high-grade dysplasia.

PRGN-2012, a novel gorilla adenovirus-based immunotherapy, provides the first treatment that leads to complete and durable responses in recurrent respiratory papillomatosis patients.

LBA6015 Background: Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is a rare, neoplastic disorder caused by chronic infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) type 6 or 11. Significant morbidity can occur due to airway obstruction and, although rare, transformation into malignant cancer. There are no approved therapeutics. RRP is currently managed with frequent ablative procedures that can lead to irreversible laryngotracheal scarring and disability. PRGN-2012 is a gorilla adenovirus-based gene therapy/immunotherapy designed to generate HPV6/11-specific T cell immunity. The FDA has granted PRGN-2012 Breakthrough Therapy Designation for the treatment of RRP recognizing that this single arm study can serve as pivotal to support a licensing application. Methods: This pivotal trial (NCT04724980) evaluates the safety and efficacy of PRGN-2012 in patients with RRP requiring a minimum of 3 surgeries in the 12 months prior to treatment. Eligible patients received 4 subcutaneous (SC) injections of PRGN-2012 at dose level (DL) 1 (1x1011 Particle Units (PU) per injection; n=3) or DL2 (5x1011 PU per injection; n=35) over 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was the rate of complete response (CR), defined as no requirement for surgery in the 12 months following completion of treatment. Other key endpoints include duration of response, change in extent of papilloma growth (anatomic Derkay score) and vocal function. Results: PRGN-2012 was well-tolerated, with no serious adverse events, grade &gt; 2 treatment-related adverse events, or early treatment discontinuations. The most common adverse events were injection-site reaction, fatigue, chills, fever, and myalgia. PRGN-2012 treatment at DL2 significantly (p&lt;0.0001) decreased the requirement for surgery, with a median number of surgeries in the 12 month period decreasing from 4 (3-10) prior to treatment to 0 (0-7) surgeries post-treatment. Approximately 90% of patients experienced a decrease in the number of surgeries in the 12 months post-treatment compared to pre-treatment with PRGN-2012. The primary endpoint evaluation demonstrated a confirmed complete response in 17/31 (55%) of evaluable patients. The median duration of complete response has yet to be reached with a median follow up of 15 months (12 - 30) at the time of data cutoff (March 6, 2024). Additionally, PRGN-2012 treatment resulted in a significant reduction in Derkay score, improvement in vocal function and generation of HPV-specific immune responses. Conclusions: These data demonstrate the overall favorable safety profile and significant clinical benefit of PRGN-2012 in adult RRP patients. These findings support PRGN-2012 as a potential therapeutic option for this patient population where no FDA-approved therapeutics exist. Clinical trial information: NCT04724980 .

Impact of human papillomavirus types on uterine cervical neoplasia.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a major cause of cervical cancer. As the natural history of HPV-associated cervical lesions is HPV genotype-dependent, it is important to understand the characteristics of these genotypes and to manage them accordingly. Among high-risk HPVs, HPV16 and 18 are particularly aggressive, together accounting for 70% of HPV genotypes detected in cervical cancer. Other than HPV16 and 18, HPV31, 33, 35, 45, 52, and 58 are also at a high risk of progression to cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)3 or higher. Recent studies have shown that the natural history of HPV16, 18, 52, and 58, which are frequently detected in Japan, depends on the HPV genotype. For example, HPV16 tends to progress in a stepwise fashion from CIN1 to CIN3, while HPV52 and 58 are more likely to persist in the CIN1 to CIN2 state. Among the high-risk HPVs, HPV18 has some peculiar characteristics different from those of other high-risk HPV types; the detection rate in precancerous lesions is much lower than those of other high-risk HPVs, and it is frequently detected in highly malignant adenocarcinoma and small cell carcinoma. Recent findings demonstrate that HPV18 may be characterized by latent infection and carcinogenesis in stem cell-like cells. In this context, this review outlines the natural history of HPV-infected cervical lesions and the characteristics of each HPV genotype.

Anal human papillomavirus (HPV) disagreement by Linear Array compared to SPF10 PCR-DEIA-LiPA25 system in young sexual minority men

IntroductionYoung sexual minority men (SMM) bear the greatest burden of anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infections. We assessed anal HPV genotype discordance between the Linear Array (LA) and SPF10 PCR-DEIA-LiPA25 (LiPA25). MethodsDiscordance was assessed between LA and LiPA25 using self-collected anal swabs from 120 SMM aged 18–29 who were recruited in 2014–2016. Multiple-type infection was explored as a potential confounder of testing agreement, along with clinical and behavioral factors such as HIV status, syphilis status, incarceration history, health insurance coverage, having 3 or more sex partners in the past 6 months, and co-infection with HPV-16. ResultsSignificant discordance was found for HPV-6, -11, -16, -31, -42, -54, and -59. Exploratory analyses suggest higher prevalence of genotype discordance in those living with HIV, those with 3 or more sex partners, and those who were positive for 4 or more HPV types. ConclusionsOur results highlight the importance of HPV detection methods which may inform different interpretations of research assessing anal HPV natural history among SMM at highest risk for HPV.

Intra‐ and interlaboratory reproducibility evaluation toward international validation status of the AmpFire assay

AbstractTo meet the screening goal of WHO's 90‐70‐90 strategy aimed at eliminating cervical cancer (CC) by 2030, clinical validation of human papillomavirus (HPV) assays is essential to provide accurate and valid results through fulfilling three criteria of the international validation guidelines (IVGs). Previously, the clinical accuracy of the AmpFire® HPV Screening 16/18/HR assay (AmpFire assay) was reported but reproducibility data are lacking. Here, we aim to evaluate the intra‐ and inter‐laboratory reproducibility of the AmpFire assay. The reproducibility of the isothermal AmpFire assay was assessed using 556 cervical cell samples collected from women attending CC screening and biobanked in a Belgian HPV national reference center. This assay detects HPV16, HPV18, and 12 other high‐risk HPV (hrHPV) types (31/33/35/39/45/51/52/56/58/59/66/68) in aggregate. Lower 95% confidence interval bound around the assay's reproducibility should exceed 87%, with κ ≥ 0.50. Additionally, a literature review of the assay's clinical performance was performed. The AmpFire assay showed an excellent intralaboratory (96.4%, 95% CI:94.5–97.8%, κ = 0.920) and interlaboratory (95.3%, 95% CI:93.2–96.9%, κ = 0.897) reproducibility. One study demonstrated noninferior sensitivity of a prototype AmpFire assay targeting 15 hrHPV types (including HPV53) to detect CIN2+. However, clinical specificity became similar to the comparator after removing HPV53 from analyses. The low‐cost and easy‐to‐use AmpFire assay presents excellent reproducibility and—after removing HPV53 from the targeted types—fulfills also clinical accuracy requirements. Inclusion of HPV53, which is not recognized as carcinogenic, comprises clinical specificity of screening assays.

A phase 2 study to evaluate efficacy and safety of PRGN-2009, a novel gorilla adenovirus-based immunotherapy, in combination with pembrolizumab versus pembrolizumab monotherapy in patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer.

TPS5623 Background: The association between cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (HPV) is well understood, with nearly all cervical cancer known to be caused by high risk HPV infection. HPV16 and HPV18 are the most common high-risk HPV types and are responsible for about 70% of cervical cancer cases. Recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer is currently treated with pembrolizumab alone or in combination with chemotherapy, however t there remains a significant need for treatments for patients that recur or do not respond at all to pembrolizumab treatment. PRGN-2009 is a gorilla adenovirus-based immunotherapy targeting cancers caused by HPV16 or HPV18. PRGN-2009 includes a novel HPV antigen design to induce HPV16/18-specific T cell immune responses against cancer cells. The rationale for combining the PRGN-2009 with immune checkpoint inhibitor is based on preclinical and clinical data demonstrating that combination of cancer vaccines and immune checkpoint inhibitors can trigger intensified immunogenicity leading to increased antitumor efficacy compared to either treatment alone. PRGN-2009 has been characterized in both in vitroand in vivostudies to support the scientific rationale and the safety of PRGN-2009 has been demonstrated in evaluated in initial Phase 1/2 studies in patients with HPV+ malignancies. Methods: This is a randomized, Phase 2 study to evaluate efficacy and safety of PRGN-2009 in combination with pembrolizumab compared to pembrolizumab alone in patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer. Key inclusion criteria include recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer (histologically or cytologically confirmed) resistant to pembrolizumab. Subjects will be randomized 1:1 to Cohort 1: Combination of PRGN-2009, 5 x 1011 PU (Day 0, Day 21 and Day 42, then q6w), plus pembrolizumab, 400mg q6w, or to Cohort 2: pembrolizumab alone (400 mg q6w). Subjects randomized to Cohort 2 (pembrolizumab monotherapy) and who have confirmed disease progression (per RECIST 1.1) after at least one cycle of pembrolizumab and have had no Grade ≥ 3 adverse events related to treatment will be offered the option to crossover to Cohort 1 (PRGN-2009 plus pembrolizumab). All subjects will be evaluated for safety and efficacy of PRGN-2009 in combination with pembrolizumab, and for biological correlative assays. The primary endpoint is objective response rate (ORR) following treatment with PRGN-2009 in combination with pembrolizumab or pembrolizumab monotherapy, and will be tested using Fleming’s two-stage design and the stopping boundaries for futility and efficacy applied. The study is currently recruiting patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer (NCT06157151). Clinical trial information: NCT06157151 .

Internal validation of Automated Visual Evaluation (AVE) on smartphone images for cervical cancer screening in a prospective study in Zambia.

Visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) is a low-cost approach for cervical cancer screening used in most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) but, similar to other visual tests, is subjective and requires sustained training and quality assurance. We developed, trained, and validated an artificial-intelligence-based "Automated Visual Evaluation" (AVE) tool that can be adapted to run on smartphones to assess smartphone-captured images of the cervix and identify precancerous lesions, helping augment VIA performance. Prospective study. Eight public health facilities in Zambia. A total of 8204 women aged 25-55. Cervical images captured on commonly used low-cost smartphone models were matched with key clinical information including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and human papillomavirus (HPV) status, plus histopathology analysis (where applicable), to develop and train an AVE algorithm and evaluate its performance for use as a primary screen and triage test for women who are HPV positive. Area under the receiver operating curve (AUC); sensitivity; specificity. As a general population screening tool for cervical precancerous lesions, AVE identified cases of cervical precancerous and cancerous (CIN2+) lesions with high performance (AUC = 0.91, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.89-0.93), which translates to a sensitivity of 85% (95% CI = 81%-90%) and specificity of 86% (95% CI = 84%-88%) based on maximizing the Youden's index. This represents a considerable improvement over naked eye VIA, which as per a meta-analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO) has a sensitivity of 66% and specificity of 87%. For women living with HIV, the AUC of AVE was 0.91 (95% CI = 0.88-0.93), and among those testing positive for high-risk HPV types, the AUC was 0.87 (95% CI = 0.83-0.91). These results demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing AVE on images captured using a commonly available smartphone by nurses in a screening program, and support our ongoing efforts for moving to more broadly evaluate AVE for its clinical sensitivity, specificity, feasibility, and acceptability across a wider range of settings. Limitations of this study include potential inflation of performance estimates due to verification bias (as biopsies were only obtained from participants with visible aceto-white cervical lesions) and due to this being an internal validation (the test data, while independent from that used to develop the algorithm was drawn from the same study).

Development of a human papillomavirus (HPV) multiplex immunoassay to profile HPV antibodies.

Neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) are considered the primary mechanism of vaccine-mediated protection against human papillomaviruses (HPV), the causative agent of cervical cancer. However, the minimum level of NAb needed for protection is currently unknown. The HPV pseudovirion-based neutralization assay (PBNA) is the gold standard method for assessing HPV antibody responses but is time-consuming and labor-intensive. With the development of higher valency HPV vaccines, alternative serological assays with the capacity for multiplexing would improve efficiency and output. Here we describe a multiplex bead-based immunoassay to characterize the antibody responses to the seven oncogenic HPV types (HPV16/18/31/33/45/52/58) contained in the current licensed nonavalent HPV vaccine. This assay can measure antibody isotypes and subclasses (total IgG, IgM, IgA1-2, IgG1-4), and can be adapted to measure other antibody features (e.g., Fc receptors) that contribute to vaccine immunity. When tested with serum samples from unvaccinated and vaccinated individuals, we found high concordance between HPV-specific IgG using this multiplex assay and NAbs measured with PBNA. Overall, this assay is high-throughput, sample-sparing, and time-saving, providing an alternative to existing assays for the measurement and characterization of HPV antibody responses.

AN UNCOMMON COMPLICATION OF EPIDERMODYSPLASIA VERRUCIFORMIS

Epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV) is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder. which patients have a reduced immunological ability to defend against and eliminate certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV), resulting in persistent infection and an increased lifetime risk of developing cutaneous dysplasia and malignancy. mostly squamous cell carcinoma was seen on sunlight-exposed areas, especially on the extremities, and forehead. Malignant transformation began in the form of actinic keratosis and early micro- invasive squamous cell carcinoma of Bowens type, rarely basal cell carcinoma. We report the case of a young patient with a history of EV who presented with a basal cell carcinoma that developed over a short period of time. The patient was successfully treated surgically.

Structure-Based Discovery of Potential HPV E6 and EBNA1 Inhibitors: Implications for Cervical Cancer Treatment

Cervical cancer is the fourth most diagnosed cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer death in women globally. Its onset and progression have been attributed to high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types, especially 16 and 18, while the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is believed to also significantly contribute to cervical cancer growth. The E6 protein associated with high-risk HPV strains, such as HPV16 and HPV18, is known for its role in promoting cervical cancer and other anogenital cancers. E6 proteins contribute to the malignant transformation of infected cells by targeting and degrading tumor suppressor proteins, especially p53. On the other hand, EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) plays a crucial role in the maintenance and replication of the EBV genome in infected cells. EBNA1 is believed to increase HPV E6 and E7 levels, as well as c-MYC, and BIRC5 cellular genes in the HeLa cell line, implying that HPV/EBV co-infection accelerates cervical cancer onset and growth. Thus, the E6 and EBNA1 antigens of HPV and EBV, respectively, are attractive targets for cervical cancer immunotherapy. This study, therefore, virtually screened for potential drug candidates with good binding affinity to all three oncoviral proteins, HPV16 E6, HPV18 E6, and EBNA1. The compounds were further subjected to ADMET profiling, biological activity predictions, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and molecular mechanics Poisson–Boltzmann surface area (MM/PBSA) calculations. A total of six compounds comprising ZINC000013380012, ZINC000070454124, ZINC000014588133, ZINC000085568136, ZINC000095909247, and ZINC000085597263 demonstrated very strong affinity (≤−60 kJ/mol) to the three oncoviral proteins (EBNA1, HPV16 E6, and HPV18 E6) after being subjected to docking, MD, and MM/PBSA. These compounds demonstrated relatively stronger binding than the controls used, inhibitors of EBNA1 (VK-1727) and HPV E6 (baicalein and gossypetin). Biological activity predictions also corroborated their antineoplastic, p53-enhancing, Pin1 inhibitory, and JAK2 inhibitory activities. Further experimental testing is required to validate the ability of the shortlisted compounds to silence the insidious effects of HPV E6 and EBNA1 proteins in cervical cancers.