Immunity to commensal papillomaviruses protects against skin cancer.

ABSTRACT: Immunosuppression increases the risk of cancers that are associated with viral infection¹. In particular, the risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin-which has been associated with beta human papillomavirus (β-HPV) infection-is increased by more than 100-fold in immunosuppressed patients^2-4. Previous studies have not established a causative role for HPVs in driving the development of skin cancer. Here we show that T cell immunity against commensal papillomaviruses suppresses skin cancer in immunocompetent hosts, and the loss of this immunity-rather than the oncogenic effect of HPVs-causes the markedly increased risk of skin cancer in immunosuppressed patients. To investigate the effects of papillomavirus on carcinogen-driven skin cancer, we colonized several strai

SUBMITTER: Strickley JD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6872936 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature