IMMUNOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF PAPILLOMA-VIRUS INFECTIONS - PROSPECTS FOR AVACCINE

Human papiliomaviruses induce benign or malignant epithelial prolifera tions in both skin or mucosa and are involved in the development of an ogenital cancer. One can consider two approaches towards vaccine devel opment: prevention of infection by prophylactic induction of virus neu tralizing antibodies or therapeutic vaccination which would lead to re gression of already existing lesions. Neutralizing antibodies are dire cted against 3-dimensional structures on intact virions. Such antibodi es which are protective in model systems can be induced safely by DNA- free ''virus-like-particles''. These constructs are candidates for a p rophylactic vaccine. A further approach to optimize the vaccination st rategy concentrates on immunotherapy of precancerous or malignant lesi ons by induction of a specific cell-mediated immune response. Hypothet ically the transforming papillomavirus proteins which are expressed in basal layers of the epidermis could be used as a therapeutic vaccine in the form of synthetic peptides.