Detection of infectious adeno-associated virus particles in human cervical biopsies

Recently we reported that DNA of the human oncogenic papillomaviruses (HPV) and the tumor suppressive human helper virus-dependent parvoviruses, adeno-associated viruses type 2 (AAV-2), colocalize in cervical epithelium. To analyze whether infectious AAV particles are present in cervical tissue, we examined cervical biopsies from 36 patients with HPV-related lesions (squamous intraepithelial lesions) for the presence of AAV DNA and of infectious AAV. From each patient specimens from the lesion and from adjacent normal epithelium were analyzed. After PCR analysis AAV DNA-containing samples were purified by CsCl gradient centrifugation. The presence of AAV virions in CsCl gradients was analyzed and infectivity of AAV was determined. In addition, the biopsies were tested for the presence of HPV DNA. AAV DNA could be detected in biopsies from 23 of 36 patients. AAV particles were found in 11 AAV DNA-positive biopsies from 7 patients (lesions and/or normal tissue, respectively). AAV particles were found to be infectious virions in 10 of the 11 cases. These results demonstrate for the first time that infectious AAV can be isolated from human cervical biopsies, indicating a possible sexual transmission of AAV.