The Th1-th2 profile in immune responses to Human papillomavirus (HPV) in vitro in men from the city of São Paulo, Brazil

Authors

  • Fernando Augusto Miranda da Costa
  • Karen Eliane de Oliveira Gaester
  • Alberto José da Silva Duarte
  • Jorge Casseb

Keywords:

human papilloma virus, cytokines, Th1-Th2 balance

Abstract

Introduction: The cell-mediated immune response plays an important role in the control of HPV-induced cancers. Cytokines play an important function in host defense against HPV infection by modulating viral infection and polarizing the immune response towards Th1 or Th2 cells. Objective: To evaluate the specific immune response to HPV in vitro in men with and without lesions caused by HPV. Methods: We recruited 31 patients and 11 volunteers and divided them into the following four groups: 12 patients in Group A (HIV+/HPV+); 9 patients in Group B (HIV-/HPV+); 10 patients in Group C (HIV+/ HPV-); and 11 healthy subjects in Group D (HIV-/HPV-). PBMCs culture assays were performed to measure the levels of Th1/Th2/Th17 cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-2, TNF-α, IL-4, IL-10 and IL-17) in cells from patients stimulated with a quadrivalent HPV vaccine (HPV 6, 11, 16 and 18) and the E7 protein of HPV- 16. Results: The coinfected group A (HIV+/HPV+) showed higher levels of cytokines, especially Th2 cytokines, compared with the other study groups. The coinfected group had significantly higher levels of IL-6 and IL-10, which are Th2 cytokines, compared to the control group (HIV-/HPV-) (p<0.0001 and p<0.0001, respectively). Conclusion: This study reports a high production of cytokines in the coinfected group, suggesting strong immunomodulatory effects by HIV/HPV coinfection. However, further studies should be conducted to confirm these data. Because this group had high levels of Th2 cytokines, especially IL-6 and IL-10, these data suggest that these two cytokines may serve as biomarkers for viral persistence because HIV seropositive patients have a higher HPV persistence and may allow for the progression to more serious injuries to be monitored.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Fernando Augusto Miranda da Costa

Universidade Federal do Pará – Belém (PA), Brazil.  School of Medicine, Universidade de São Paulo – São Paulo (SP), Brazil.

Karen Eliane de Oliveira Gaester

School of Medicine, Universidade de São Paulo – São Paulo (SP), Brazil.

Alberto José da Silva Duarte

School of Medicine, Universidade de São Paulo – São Paulo (SP), Brazil.

Jorge Casseb

School of Medicine, Universidade de São Paulo – São Paulo (SP), Brazil.

Downloads

Published

2019-05-16

How to Cite

1.
Costa FAM da, Gaester KE de O, Duarte AJ da S, Casseb J. The Th1-th2 profile in immune responses to Human papillomavirus (HPV) in vitro in men from the city of São Paulo, Brazil. DST [Internet]. 2019 May 16 [cited 2024 Mar. 29];31(1):7-13. Available from: https://www.bjstd.org/revista/article/view/848

Issue

Section

Original Article