Decreased Migration of Langerhans Precursor-Like Cells in Response to Human Keratinocytes Expressing Human Papillomavirus Type 16 E6/E7 Is Related to Reduced Macrophage Inflammatory Protein-3 Production

Infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types, particularly types 16 and 18, contributes to 90% of cervical cancer cases. HPV infects cutaneous or mucosal epithelium, tissue that is monitored for microbial infection or damage by Langerhans cells. In lesions produced by HPV type 16, there is a reduction in numbers of immune cells, especially Langerhans cells. Langerhans precursor cells selectively express CCR6, the receptor for macrophage inflammatory protein 3 (MIP-3 ), and function as potent immune responders to inflamed epithelium and initiators of the innate immune response. It has been reported that E6 and E7 of high-risk HPVs interfere with immune mediators in order to suppress the recruitment of immune cells and antiviral activities of infected cells. Here we show that, following proinflammatory stimulus, HPV-16 E6 and E7 inhibit MIP-3 transcription, resulting in suppression of the migration of immature Langerhans precursorlike cells. Interestingly, the E6 and E7 proteins from the low-risk HPV types also inhibited MIP-3 transcription. These results suggest that one mechanism by which HPV-infected cells suppress the immune response may be through the inhibition of a vital alert signal, thus contributing to the persistence of HPV infection.