Human genital papilloma infections: an evaluation of immunologic competence in the genital neoplasia-papilloma syndrome

Immunologic evaluations of women with genital neoplasia-papilloma syndrome demonstrated the presence of subclinical immunodeficiency when compared with results in 20 control women. All patients with genital neoplasia-papilloma syndrome were previously found to have human papillomavirus deoxyribonucleic acid in genital neoplasias or papillomas occurring either synchronously (in at least two genital organs at the same time) or metachronously (at different times during a period of months to years). Immunologic tests included blastogenic responses of lymphocytes to mitogens (phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A, pokeweed mitogen, and tetanus antigen) and lymphocyte phenotyping with the use of monoclonal antibodies (OKT3, OKT4, OKT8, and OKT11). As compared with those of control subjects, the responses of the lymphocytes of patients with genital neoplasia-papilloma syndrome to mitogens were significantly decreased. The group with genital neoplasia-papilloma syndrome had a significantly higher percentage of suppressor-cytotoxic T cells (OKT8-positive cells) when compared with that of control subjects (mean 33% versus 18%) and a lower proportion of helper T cells (OKT4-positive cells) when compared with that of control subjects (35% versus 50%). The mean helper-to-suppressor/cytotoxic T-cell ratio (mean OKT4/OKT8 ratio) in the human papillomavirus-infected women was 1.72 +/- 0.29 (SE) as compared with 3.21 +/- 0.33 (SE) in the control group, demonstrating a significant reduction of the ratio in the patients with genital neoplasia-papilloma syndrome. These findings suggest that patients with genital neoplasia-papilloma syndrome have a reduced suppressor/cytotoxic T-cell ratio (mean OKT4/OKT8 ratio; that in the human papillomavirus-infected women was 1.72 +/- 0.29 (SE) as compared with 3.21 +/- 0.33 (SE) in the control group, demonstrating a significant reduction of the ratio in patients with genital neoplasia-papilloma syndrome. These findings suggest that patients with genital neoplasia-papilloma syndrome have reduced immunocompetence of unknown etiology.