[Prophylactic and therapeutic vaccination against human papillomavirus]

Human papillomavirus is a necessary cause for the development of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is attributed to 15 high-risk oncogenic HPV among the 120 genotypes present in human. The infection affects about 3 out of 4 women and is often transient thanks to immunological modulators leading to viral clearance. This characteristic made it possible to develop vaccines. Prophylactic vaccines are made of virus-like particles L1, non infectious, well tolerated and highly immunogenic. They prevent from viral infection by producing antibodies, which are secreted throughout the genital mucosa (humoral immunity). High-risk oncogenic HPV-16 and 18, responsible for 70% of cervical cancer, are included in Gardasil and Cervarix. Both vaccines prevent from HPV infection and related cervical and perineal lesions in more than 90% of the cases. Therapeutic vaccines are made of epitope peptides, recombinant proteins and bacteria, plasmid DNA or dendritic cells. All sensitize immunocompetent cells (cellular immunity). Ineffective in cervical cancers, they induce the regression of cervical dysplasia in about 50% of the cases. They are still under research and development, in opposition to prophylactic vaccines, which are available.