Plant Viruses Show Promise as Carriers for Antiviral Vaccinations Against Human Papillomaviruses

Strategic Insights -

Research has shown that combining parts of papillomavirus structural proteins with the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) could lead to the development of low-cost, antiviral vaccinations against human papillomaviruses (HPVs) that cause benign and malignant tumors. A consortium of researchers from Large Scale Biology Corporation (LSBC) and Penn State University College of Medicine presented preliminary findings indicating that the virus-combining technology resulted in vaccinations that promoted antibody responses to rabbit papillomavirus types and HPV strains associated with high risk for reproductive organ cancers.

Key Takeaways:

  • The technology combines parts of papillomavirus structural proteins with the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) to develop antiviral vaccinations against human papillomaviruses (HPVs).
  • The vaccinations promote antibody responses to rabbit papillomavirus types and HPV strains associated with high risk for reproductive organ cancers.
  • HPVs are a family of viruses often transmitted through sexual contact, causing genital warts, cervical, vulvar, and anal cancers, as well as other cancers.
  • HPV is present in more than 9 of 10 cases of all cervical cancers.
  • The LSBC-TMV vaccine technology is relatively inexpensive and efficient, generating strong peptide-specific immune responses in mouse models and antibodies capable of generating partial protective response in the cottontail rabbit model.
  • Approximately 5,000 women die from cervical cancer each year in the United States, with 5.5 million new cases of genital HPV occurring yearly.
  • As many as 24 million people in the U.S. are infected with HPV at any given time, with an estimated 1 million women in the U.S. having cervical dysplasia associated with HPV.
  • Globally, HPV-induced cervical cancers are the most common cancers in women in developing countries, with one half million new cases occurring yearly across the globe.

Statistics:

  • HPVs are present in more than 9 of 10 cases of all cervical cancers.
  • Approximately 5,000 women die from cervical cancer each year in the United States.
  • 5.5 million new cases of genital HPV occur yearly in the United States.
  • As many as 24 million people in the U.S. are infected with HPV at any given time.
  • An estimated 1 million women in the U.S. have cervical dysplasia associated with HPV.
  • Half a million new cases of cervical cancer occur yearly across the globe.
  • Most (80%) of these cases occur in developing countries, and 90%-95% are associated with HPV infection.

Sources:

  • NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net, 2004 JUN 14
  • Large Scale Biology Corporation (LSBC)
  • Penn State University College of Medicine
  • American Association for Cancer Research, 95th Annual Meeting
  • U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • OBGYN & Reproduction Week editors
  • U.S. National Institutes of Standards and Technology's Advanced Technology Program