T. Reunala

Circulating IgA- and IgG-class antigliadin antibodies in dermatitis herpetiformis detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

SummaryA sensitive and technically simple enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to demonstrate circulating IgA- and IgG-class antibodies to gliadin, a component of wheat gluten. Serum samples from 24 patients with dermatitis herpetiformis (DH), 5 with coeliac disease (CD) and 75 normal controls were analysed. Antigliadin antibodies (AGA) of the IgA class were detected in 71% of DH patients, all of the CD patients and 19% of the controls. IgG-AGA was found in over 90% of DH patients and controls and in all of the CD patients. The mean ELISA values of both IgA- and IgG-class AGA were significantly higher in DH patients than in the controls. The occurrence of circulating IgA-class AGA is compatible with the hypothesis that these antibodies can be deposited in the skin, e.g. as immune complexes, or due to cross-reactivity of gliadin and dermal reticulin.

Human papillomavirus DNA in urine specimens of men with condyloma acuminatum

Background and Objectives: Because warts are often found in the male urethra, human papillomavirus (HPV) may well be present in urine of patients with urethral condylomata. Goal: To detect HPV DNA in urine specimens of men with condylomata acuminata using polymerase chain reaction. Study Design: Forty‐seven urine specimens and 25 paraffin‐embedded tissues of condylomata acuminata were obtained from men. Of the 47 urine specimens, 29 were from patients with urethral condylomata, 3 from patients with penile condylomata only, and 15 from control subjects without condylomata. Both L1 consensus primers and type‐specific primers for HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, and 33 were used. Results: HPV DNA was detected in 22 of the 29 (76%) urine specimens from patients with urethral condylomata, in none of the 3 urine specimens from patients with penile condylomata, and in none of the 15 controls. Paraffin‐embedded tissues of all 25 condylomas were positive for HPV DNA. The HPV types detected in urine were identical to those detected in urethral condylomas. Conclusions: HPV DNA is present in urine of patients with urethral condylomata. Urine may be used for noninvasive screening of asymptomatic HPV infections of the male genital tract. Detection of HPV DNA in urine may be useful for monitoring the response to treatment of urethral condylomata.

Evaluation of serum antibody response to a newly identified B-cell epitope in the minor nucleocapsid protein L2 of human papillomavirus type 16

The aim of this work was to identify B-cell epitopes in the minor nucleocapsid (L2) protein of human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 and characterization of allied antibody response. Serum samples of 513 individuals (323 women with various degrees of cervical atypia, 150 men and 40 small children) were available for the study. Synthetic peptides overlapping the L2 protein of HPV 16 twice were applied in ELISA for epitope scanning and antibody determination. An HPV 16 L2 derived dodecamer SGYIPANTTIPF (amino acids 391-402) proved to be the major B-cell epitope. Both IgA antipeptide antibody positivity (range 7-28%) and mean IgA antibody levels (range 13.2 EIU to 42.4 EIU, P < 0.05) increased with the degree of cervical atypia, whereas antipeptide IgG antibodies showed an opposite trend. During a 2-years follow-up significantly (P < 0.0005) decreasing IgA antibody levels to the SGYIPANTTIPF peptide were associated with regression of koilocytotic atypia. Analysis of anti-peptide IgA antibodies of 118 women with known HPV type revealed that a majority of positives had HPV 16/18 DNA. It was concluded that antibody response to the newly discovered peptide was partially type- and disease-specific. Our results also suggest an impairment of the IgG but not IgA class antibody response to HPV 16 in patients with persistent cervical HPV infection.