Expression of herpesvirus-induced antigens in human cervical cancer.

Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2) was first associated with human cervical cancer by seroepidemiologic studies over 10 years ago, but there has been no clearcut evidence confirming or refuting the role of the virus in this cancer. Expression of HSV antigens in cells transformed in vitro by the virus has been reported by several groups1,2. Evidence for the association of HSV antigens with human cervical cancer has recently been reviewed3–5; general antisera prepared against HSV virions or structural proteins were used by several groups to screen cells derived from the cancer and equivocal results were obtained. The tumour-specific antigens associated with three known oncogenic DNA viruses—adenovirus type 2, SV40, and Epstein–Barr herpesvirus—are DNA-binding proteins5–8. Therefore, proteins which bind DNA were isolated9,10 from HEp-2 cells infected by HSV2, and monospecific antisera to two of these proteins (ICSP11/12 and ICSP 34/35) were prepared. These rabbit antisera react specifically with the nuclei of HSV2-infected cells11. We show here that an HSV2-specific DNA-binding antigen was expressed in 38% of tissues with pathological findings of severe dysplasia or carcinoma. This therefore constitutes further evidence for HSV2 as a factor in human cervical carcinoma.