Warts and squamous cell carcinomas in organ transplant patients: is the human papillomavirus responsible for carcinogenesis?

The skin is a site of immune responses and the epidermis contains the basic elements involved in these responses (T cells, Langerhans cells, which are antigen presenting cells, and cytokines). Because of its anatomic structure, it serves as a defense against infections. It is also an important target of immunosuppressive treatments leading to a down-regulation of the skin immunity. In immunocompetent populations, human papillomaviruses [...]