Mother-infant transfer of anti-human papillomavirus (HPV) antibodies following vaccination with the quadrivalent HPV (type 6/11/16/18) virus-like particle vaccine

Abstract

The exploratory immunogenicity objective of this analysis was to characterize the titer of vaccine human papillomavirus (HPV)-type immunoglobulins in both peripartum maternal blood and the cord blood of infants born to women who received blinded therapy. Data were derived from a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy study (protocol 019; NCT00090220). This study enrolled 3,819 women between the ages of 24 and 45 years from 38 international study sites between 18 June 2004 and 30 April 2005. Data in the current analysis are from subjects enrolled in Philippines and Thailand. For each of HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18, maternal anti-HPV was found in cord blood samples. Furthermore, HPV titers in cord blood samples were highly positively correlated with maternal HPV titers. Additionally, there were instances when anti-HPV antibodies were no longer detectable in maternal serum samples and yet were detected in matched cord blood samples. These results demonstrate that quadrivalent HPV (qHPV) vaccine-induced antibodies cross the placenta and could potentially provide some benefit against vaccine-type HPV infection and related diseases such as recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.

Figures

Fig 1

Scatter plots of mother-infant vaccine-type anti-HPV titers (all qHPV vaccinated with mother-infant serology result). The analysis of HPV-6 includes 4 mother-infant pairs such that the mother received placebo but had detectable anti-HPV-6.

Fig 2

Distribution of the ratios of infant to mother anti-HPV titers (all qHPV vaccinated with mother-infant serology result). The bottom and top edges of the box plot correspond to the 25th and 75th percentiles, respectively, of the distribution. The horizontal line inside the box represents the median of the distribution. The small solid square inside each box represents the arithmetic mean. The end of the bottom whisker corresponds to the minimum value of the distribution. The end of the top whisker represents the maximum value that is below the point equal to (75th percentile + 1.5× interquartile range). The small open squares above the top whisker represent extreme values that are greater than the point equal to (75th percentile + 1.5× interquartile range). The analysis of HPV-6 includes 4 mother-infant pairs such that the mother received placebo but had detectable anti-HPV-6. n, number of mother-infant pairs contributing to the analysis; Outliers, number of extreme anti-HPV values that are greater than the point equal to (75th percentile + 1.5× interquartile range); interquartile range, equal to 75th percentile − 25th percentile; Max, maximum anti-HPV value; Min, minimum anti-HPV value; Pctl, percentile.