Therapeutic human papillomavirus DNA vaccination strategies to control cervical cancer

A persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is considered causal and necessary for the continued growth of cervical cancer. Thus, vaccination against HPV represents a plausible approach to prevent and treat cervical cancer. A report in the current issue of the European Journal of Immunology describes a therapeutic HPV DNA vaccination strategy using the HPV-16 E7 antigen fused to the invariant chain to enhance the E7-specific CD8⁺ and CD4⁺ T cell immune responses, resulting in a potent anti-tumor effect against E7-expressing tumors. Continued exploration of HPV therapeutic DNA vaccines may lead to eventual clinical application.