Cervical secretory immunoglobulin A to human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) from HPV16-infected women inhibit HPV16 virus-like particles-induced hemagglutination of mouse red blood cells

Secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) antibodies are the First line of defence at the genital mucosa, and are thought to hinder viral infections by bindin g to conformational epitopes on the viral capsid. To investigate if cervica l sIgA binds to conformational epitopes of the Human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16), cervical mucus samples from 109 HPV16-infected patients were exam ined in a HPV16 virus-like particles-induced hemagglutination inhibition as say. 48 (44.1%) patients were able to inhibit hemagglutination. Inhibition of hemagglutination was associated with the presence of sIgA (P=0.001). In conclusion, naturally occurring cervical anti-HPV16 sIgA binds to and hinde rs conformational epitopes on the viral capsid, suggesting that these antib odies might have a neutralizing capacity. (C) 2001 Federation of European M icrobiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights res erved.