FOLLOW-UP OF ANTIBODY-RESPONSES TO HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS TYPE-16 E7 INPATIENTS TREATED FOR CERVICAL-CARCINOMA

A synthetic peptide comprising amino acids 6-35 of HPV-16 E7 was used in an ELISA to screen sera taken from 31 cervical carcinoma patients. Sera obtained before and during treatment, and in follow-up, were test ed for the presence of antibodies to this peptide. Sixteen patients wi th negative pretreatment serum determination remained negative during treatment and follow-up. Of the 15 patients with positive pretreatment sera, 12 showed a decrease in anti-E7 6-35 antibody level during trea tment. During follow-up an increase in anti-E7\6-35 antibody level was observed in 6 out of 7 patients with progressive or recurrent disease , whereas all patients who remained in complete remission showed stabl e or further decreasing antibody levels. During the course of disease of the 15 seropositive patients, serum anti-E7\6-35 antibody levels we re compared with serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) profil es, a clinically useful tumor marker in the management of cervical can cer patients. Similar patterns were observed in 10 out of 15 patients. The results of this study suggest that in a subset of cervical cancer patients, anti-E7\6-35 antibody response against HPV-16 E7 at least p artially depends on the presence of viable tumor lesions, and that to some extent the anti-E7 profile reflects the course of disease. (C) 19 95 Wiley-Liss, Inc.