HPV vaccination for prevention of skin cancer

Abstract

Cutaneous papillomaviruses are associated with specific skin diseases, such as extensive wart formation and the development of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), especially in immunosuppressed patients. Hence, clinical approaches are required that prevent such lesions. Licensed human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines confer type-restricted protection against HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18, responsible of 90% of genital warts and 70% of cervical cancers, respectively. However, they do not protect against less prevalent high-risk types or cutaneous HPVs. Over the past few years, several studies explored the potential of developing vaccines targeting cutaneous papillomaviruses. These vaccines showed to be immunogenic and prevent skin tumor formation in certain animal models. Furthermore, under conditions mimicking the ones found in the intended target population (i.e., immunosuppression and in the presence of an already established infection before vaccination), recent preclinical data shows that immunization can still be effective. Strategies are currently focused on finding vaccine formulations that can confer protection against a broad range of papillomavirus-associated diseases. The state-of-the-art of these approaches and the future directions in the field will be presented.

Keywords: BCC, basal cell carcinoma; EV, Epidermodysplasia Verruciformis; HPV, Human Papillomavirus; NMSC, non melanoma skin cancer; SCC, squamous cell carcinoma; VLP, virus-like particle; cutaneous papillomaviruses; non melanoma skin cancer; vaccination.

Figure 1.

Mastomys coucha as animal model for papillomavirus-induced tumors. (A) Mastomys coucha. M. coucha is an African multimammate mouse of the Muridae family. (B) Skin keratoacanthoma. Mastomys coucha is latently infected with MnPV, which induces skin tumors in older animals.