Virus-Host Interactions of Polyoma and Papilloma Viruses
Table of Contents
Infections and Cancer
About 20% of all cancer cases worldwide are associated with infections. The main etiologic agents are
- Human Papillomaviruses (HPV), which are associated with cervical cancer, other anogenital cancers, and a subset of head and neck cancers
- Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori), a bacterium that causes gastric cancer
- the Hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV, HCV), which cause hepatocellular carcinoma
- Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is associated with Hodgkin’s and Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma
- Human Herpesvirus 8 (HHV8), or Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), causing Kaposi sarcoma
However, the number of cancer cases attributable to infections is most likely underestimated, and most of the infectious agents mentioned above may also cause other cancers, e.g. HPV and skin cancer, or H.pylori and other gastrointestinal cancers. Our aim is to investigate these less firmly established associations, and to discover novel markers based on serology or nucleic acid detection, e.g. for early disease detection, or as progression markers.
To this end, we have developed a high-throughput serological method (“Multiplex Serology”) based on Luminex technology. Multiplex serology allows us to analyze up to 2000 serum samples per day for antibodies to up to 100 different antigens simultaneously. We have successfully developed serological assays for more than 50 HPV types, 15 H.pylori proteins, HBV, HCV, Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), all human Polyomaviruses, several human Herpesviruses, and other infectious agents.
In addition, we have developed Luminex-based high-throughput nucleic acid detection methods for genotyping of >100 HPV genotypes (“Multiplex HPV Genotyping”), Bovine Papillomaviruses, all human Polyomaviruses, all human Herpesviruses, 12 Adeno-associated viruses (AAV) and other infectious agents.
We collaborate worldwide with many clinical and epidemiological partners to analyze large-scale seroepidemiological studies and cooperate with corporate partners to commercialize novel diagnostic biomarkers.
Selection of ongoing projects
A) Serology
Epidemiological evidence for associations of Helicobacter infections with gastrointestinal cancers
Infectious agents in highly endemic cancers in Shaanxi province, China
Development of multiplex serology for the detection of viral infections in laboratory rodents
HPV detection in laryngeal and oesophageal cancer – Finding the “needle in the haystack” by a combination of serological screening and molecular diagnostics
Development of serologic assays based on multiplex technology for HIV-1, HTLV-1, HBV, MCV, HPyV6 and HPyV7
B) Nucleic Acids
Viral load of high-risk human papillomaviruses: a new tool for cervical cancer precursor screening
HPV type specific RNA analysis in cervical and head and neck cancers
RNA transcript patterns of high-risk HPV types: a new diagnostic marker for cervical lesions
Novel multiplex assay for an improved health monitoring of laboratory rodents
HPV16 and Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinomas
Core Facility “Contamination Control”
Since April 2008, our group belongs to the Genomics and Proteomics Core Facility of the DKFZ. We are performing routine diagnostics for cell culture contaminations for the DKFZ and ZMBH. A detailed description can be found here.
