Presence of antibody reactive with synthetic peptide derived from L2 open reading frame of human papillomavirus types 6b and 11 in human sera.

Nine oligopeptides corresponding to segments of different open reading frame (ORF) proteins of human papillomavirus (HPV) 6b and HPV-16 were prepared and tested for reactivity with human sera in enzyme-immunoassay (ELISA). Of these only heptadecapeptide derived from L2 ORF of HPV-6b, and encoded also by L2 ORF of HPV 11, was reactive with some human sera. Over 400 human sera of different origin were tested for the presence of antibody to this antigen. While less than 15% of sera from healthy subjects or cervical carcinoma patients were found antibody positive, sera from the majority of condylomata accuminata (CA) patients were reactive. The antibody titres varied from 1:10 (initial serum dilution) to 1:80; in this respect there was no marked difference between sera from CA patients and the other subjects. The prevalence of antibody was higher among promiscuous than nonpromiscuous women. This is in line with the assumption that sexual intercourse is the most important route of HPV 6 and 11 transmission.