A quadrivalent HPV vaccine induces humoral and cellular immune responses in WHIM immunodeficiency syndrome

WHIM-syndrome is an inherited immunodeficiency disorder with abnormal susceptibility to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and diseases. We determined safety and immunogenicity to a quadrivalent HPV vaccine in WHIM-syndrome by detection of HPV-specific antibodies and lymphoproliferation. In virus-like-particle (VLP)-ELISA, a WHIM patient showed antibody titers up to 400 for HPV-6/11/16/18, whereas immuno-competent controls developed titers of 6400–25,600. In pseudovirion assays, the patient's neutralization titers ranged from 20 to 400 to the four HPV vaccine types, while titers of 1600–25,600 were detected in healthy vaccinees. Specific proliferation of PBMC of the WHIM patient to the HPV vaccine was demonstrated. This first report on response to HPV vaccination in WHIM-immunodeficiency highlights that patients with WHIM-syndrome, and probably other immunodeficiencies, may benefit from HPV immunoprophylaxis.