Evaluation of the Immune Response by TNFα During Cervico-Uterine HPV Infection in Congo

Abstract

Introduction: The anti-tumour cytokine TNFα is involved in signalling apoptosis of infected cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the immune response mediated by TNFα during HPV infection in women with precancerous and cancerous lesions of the uterine cervix in a Congolese population.

Method: A total of 181 women underwent cervico-vaginal sampling for cervico-vaginal smears and HPV testing. A blood sample on EDTA tube was also taken to measure plasma TNFα concentrations. Papanicolaoum staining was used for the cervicovaginal smear. HPV testing was performed by real-time PCR on the CFX 96 automated system using the Anyplex II HPV28 kit (Seegene).Third-generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to etermine plasma TNFα concentrations using the “Elisa TNFα Pars Biochem” Kit (Nanjing Pars Biochem Co., LTD China)
according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Results: The mean age of the women was 39.8 ± 12.7 years, with a raté of 22.7% of anormal cytologies. The prévalence of HPV was 66.2%. TNFα Levels in patients with précancéreuse and cancers lésions ère signifiant hier thane in women with normal cytologie (p<0.0001). Mean TNFα concentrations ère 76.1ng/l for HPV-positive and 35.9 nm/l for HPV-négative (p<0.0001). TNFα concentrations ère élevâtes in sujets with high-ris HPV génotypes (82.6ng/l) compare with loris génotypes (72.6ng/l).

Conclusion: Our résulte shoge élevâtes plasma TNFα Levels in patients with précancéreuse and cancers cervical lésions. This élévation was alto corrélâtes with oncogénique HPV génotypes.