Tissue macrophage response in human papillomavirus infection and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

Tissue macrophages in the uterine cervix were studied immunocytochemically with monoclonal antibody (MoAb) 3.9 which reacts with the majority of macrophages, and E11 which is specific for the C3b receptor, CR1. Samples from five normal women, six with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and 10 with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) were tested. A small population of MoAb 3.9 positive and only occasional MoAb E11 positive macrophages were found in the normal cervix. In HPV infection and CIN there was a significant infiltration of MoAb 3.9 positive and MoAb E11 positive macrophages in both the epithelium and the stroma. The pattern of infiltration in these groups of women suggests that these macrophages were most likely to be functioning as the first line of defence against the spread of the virus infection, either through a direct anti-virus mechanism or non-specific phagocytosis.