Short report

Therapeutic immunisation of rabbits with cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV) virus-like particles (VLP) induces regression of established papillomas

Vandana A Govan¹ , Edward P Rybicki^1,2 and Anna-Lise Williamson^1,3

¹Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa

²Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa

³National Health Laboratory Service, Groote Schuur Hospital, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa

author email corresponding author email

Virology Journal 2008, 5:45doi:10.1186/1743-422X-5-45

Published:	20 March 2008

Abstract

There is overwhelming evidence that persistent infection with high-risk human papillomaviruses (HR-HPV) is the main risk factor for invasive cancer of the cervix. Due to this global public health burden, two prophylactic HPV L1 virus-like particles (VLP) vaccines have been developed. While these vaccines have demonstrated excellent type-specific prevention of infection by the homologous vaccine types (high and low risk HPV types), no data have been reported on the therapeutic effects in people already infected with the low-risk HPV type. In this study we explored whether regression of CRPV-induced papillomas could be achieved following immunisation of out-bred New Zealand White rabbits with CRPV VLPs. Rabbits immunised with CRPV VLPs had papillomas that were significantly smaller compared to the negative control rabbit group (P ≤ 0.05). This data demonstrates the therapeutic potential of PV VLPs in a well-understood animal model with potential important implications for human therapeutic vaccination for low-risk HPVs.