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Altered α ‐defensin 5 expression in cervical squamocolumnar junction: implication in the formation of a viral/tumour‐permissive microenvironment
Author(s) -
Hubert Pascale,
Herman Ludivine,
Roncarati Patrick,
Maillard Catherine,
Renoux Virginie,
Demoulin Stéphanie,
Erpicum Charlotte,
Foidart JeanMichel,
Boniver Jacques,
Noël Agnès,
Delvenne Philippe,
Herfs Michael
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the journal of pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.964
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1096-9896
pISSN - 0022-3417
DOI - 10.1002/path.4435
Subject(s) - biology , immune system , immunology , tumor microenvironment , innate immune system , antigen , acquired immune system , cancer research
Abstract Human papillomavirus ( HPV ) infection, particularly type 16, is causally associated with cancer of the uterine cervix, which mainly develops at the squamocolumnar ( SC ) junction. The progression of cervical HPV infections into (pre)neoplastic lesions suggests that viral antigens are not adequately recognized by innate immunity or presented to the adaptive immune system. Members of the defensin family have recently been found to inhibit viral and bacterial pathogens, to stimulate the migration of immune cells and to play a role in anticancer responses. In the present study, we focused on the poorly characterized human α ‐defensin 5 ( HD ‐5) and its possible role in these processes. We showed that HD ‐5 was able to prevent HPV virion entry into cervical keratinocytes and to influence adaptive immunity. Indeed, this peptide specifically induced the chemoattraction and proliferation of both activated T lymphocytes and immature dendritic cells in a CCR2 / CCR6 ‐dependent manner and stimulated the infiltration of these professional antigen‐presenting cells in a (pre)neoplastic epithelium transplanted in vivo in immunodeficient mice. No chemotactic effect was observed with plasmacytoid dendritic cells, macrophages or natural killer cells. Proliferative and angiogenic effects of HD ‐5 were also assessed in vitro and in vivo . However there was a striking regional disparity in expression of HD ‐5, being prominent in ectocervical, vaginal and vulvar neoplasia, while absent, or nearly so, in the cervical SC junction. Taken together, these results suggest one possible explanation for why the SC junction is uniquely vulnerable to both high‐risk HPV infection (via reduced HD ‐5 expression and viral entry) and progression of neoplasia (via altered cell‐mediated immune responses and altered microenvironment). Copyright © 2014 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd