RNA Interfering Nanoparticles against Human Papillomavirus Variants

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Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a DNA virus family of more than 200 types that very specifically infect epithelial cells of the skin, genital, upper-respiratory and -gastrointestinal tract. This virus is one the most common infections in humans and virtually all of us are infected at some point in our lives. Approximately 20 HPV types can cause malignant transformation of epithelial cells and, if persistent long enough, can cause malignant tumours in their hosts. HPV 16 is the most common amongst the transforming types but intriguingly, only a subset of hosts (estimated to be 1% or less), develop a malignant tumour. These tumours account for approximately 15% of all malignancies in humans. Dr. Zehbe hypothesized that HPV variants play a role in malignant transformation of HPV-infected cells.