[Polyclonal antibody to human papillomavirus-related antigens specific to epidermodysplasia verruciformis]

We have developed a polyclonal antibody for human papillomavirus (HPV)-related antigens specific to epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV). Using this antibody, immunohistochemical studies on 12 EV patients were performed. The polyclonal antibody was obtained from rabbits immunized with roughly purified virions of HPV from an EV patient. Sections from 12 EV patients were treated with the polyclonal antibody and then the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method was used to observe the reaction. The observations revealed not only papillomavirus genus-specific common structural antigen (pgs-antigen) but also HPV-related antigens specific to EV. Pgs-antigen was observed in the nuclei of the upper keratinized cells of the benign lesions and HPV-related antigens specific to EV were observed in the nuclei and cytoplasm of both keratinizing cells of the benign lesions and malignant skin tumor cells. HPV-related antigens specific to EV were observed in sections of all 12 EV patients infected by HPV-5, 5-related, 14, 20, 21 and 38, but not in sections of other HPV infections. Using the immunoblot technique, we detected the main papillomavirus structural polypeptide (MW, 58 Kd) and two other unknown proteins (MW, 42 Kd and 33 Kd) in the benign lesion of an EV patient. Two proteins (MW, 42 Kd and 33 Kd) were also detected in the malignant tumor of the EV patients we consider these proteins to be HPV-related antigens specific to EV.