Analysis Of Human Papillomavirus Specific Cytotoxic Lymphocyte Immune Response In Head And Neck Carcinoma Patients

Objective:To investigate the level of specific cells immune responses in patients with head and neck carcinoma by enzyme-linked immunospot assay (ELISpot).To analyze the relationship of the expression of p16 and HPV specific CTL immune responses in peripheral blood of head and neck carcinoma patients. To provide experimental evidence for immunotherapy. Methods:To collect 55 cases newly diagnosed HNC patients and 100 cases healthy controls, all patients were pathological diagnosis confirmed. P16 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry, specific immune response level of peripheral T cells in patients and healthy to E1、E2, E4, E5, E6, E7, L1 and L2 entire protein antigen peptide pools of HPV genome sequences (including E region and L zone) expression were measured by using ELISPOT assay. Results:(1) The positive expression rate of p16 protein in HNC patients was 36.4%(20/55), in which smoking and drinking, there were significant differences in p16-positive and p16-negative (χ2 values were 5.815,16.793, P values were 0.016,0.000); (2) The frequency and intensity of HPV E6、E7 antigen peptide pools specific CTL immune reaction in HNC patients were significantly higher than healthy controls, their difference were statistically significant (P values were 0.000,0.000,0.010 and 0.008); (3) The frequency and intensity of HPV E6 antigen peptide pools specific CTL immune reaction in Uyghur HNC patients were significantly higher than Uyghur healthy controls, their difference were statistically significant(P values were 0.004、0.041; (4) there were statistically differences on frequency of HPV E5、 E6、E7、L1 and L2 antigen peptide-pools specific CTL immune response in different pi6 protein positive group. (P values 0.004,0.000,0.000,0.029 and 0.050), while there were statistically differences in the overall and groups on intensity of HPV E5、E6、E7、Lland L2 antigen peptide-pools specific CTL immune response in different p16 protein positive group(P<0.05). Conclusions:(1) P16 protein is high expression in head and neck cancer patients and is verified a correlation the between head and neck cancer and HPV infection; (2) HPV antigen E6, E7 proteins may be oncogenic proteins leading to the occurrence and development of head and neck tumors, potentially ideal targets for head and neck cancer immunotherapy; (3) HPV antigen E5, L1 and L2 proteins are probably potential targets for the second choice for head and neck cancer immunotherapy. It provides an experimental basis for the future implementation of individualized cancer immunotherapy programs.