Read more
Our understanding of the biology of papillomaviruses has increased dramatically over the past 25 years. Before then, the lack of a facile tissue culture system had left this virus family behind the other "DNA tumor viruses," such as SV40 and murine polyomavirus. However, with the advent of molecular cloning and other new techniques, coupled with the pivotal stimulus given by connecting HPV infection and cervical cancer, the field has flourished. This progress has culminated in the development of the first true anticancer vaccine, using vir- like particles of the HPV16 and 18 capsid proteins. All investigators in the field should take pride in their contribution to a wonderful scientific journey with such a spectacular humanitarian outcome. Their basic studies, technological innovations, and clinical investigation serve as a model of the positive impact of science in society. The obvious difficulty in assembling a book about any rapidly moving sci- tific field is that many observations may be out of date by the time of publication. Given the rate of progress in papillomavirus research, this text may suffer in this regard. However, the release of the HPV vaccine completes a major era, which should be marked by a summary of the work to date. In this summary, we have emphasized the biology of papillomaviruses as well as their clinical importance. Many of the lessons learned have obvious relevance to other viruses and cancers, and they illuminate new pathways to oncogenesis. These lessons stand alongside the vaccine as monuments of progress.
List of contents
Principles of Human Tumor Virology.- History of Papillomavirus Research.- Phylogeny and Typing of Papillomaviruses.- The Differentiation-Dependent Life Cycle of Human Papillomaviruses in Keratinocytes.- Papillomavirus Structure and Assembly.- Viral Entry and Receptors.- Human Papillomavirus Transcription.- DNA Replication of Papillomaviruses.- Papillomavirus E5 Proteins.- Human Papillomavirus E6 and E7 Oncogenes.- In Vivo Models for the Study of Animal and Human Papillomaviruses.- The Humoral Immune Response to Human Papillomavirus.- Cell-Mediated Immune Responses to Human Papillomavirus.- Papillomavirus Vaccines.- Clinical Assessment, Therapies, New Tests, and Algorithms.- Possible Worldwide Impact of Prevention of Human Papillomavirus Infection.
Summary
Our understanding of the biology of papillomaviruses has increased dramatically over the past 25 years. Before then, the lack of a facile tissue culture system had left this virus family behind the other “DNA tumor viruses,” such as SV40 and murine polyomavirus. However, with the advent of molecular cloning and other new techniques, coupled with the pivotal stimulus given by connecting HPV infection and cervical cancer, the field has flourished. This progress has culminated in the development of the first true anticancer vaccine, using vir- like particles of the HPV16 and 18 capsid proteins. All investigators in the field should take pride in their contribution to a wonderful scientific journey with such a spectacular humanitarian outcome. Their basic studies, technological innovations, and clinical investigation serve as a model of the positive impact of science in society. The obvious difficulty in assembling a book about any rapidly moving sci- tific field is that many observations may be out of date by the time of publication. Given the rate of progress in papillomavirus research, this text may suffer in this regard. However, the release of the HPV vaccine completes a major era, which should be marked by a summary of the work to date. In this summary, we have emphasized the biology of papillomaviruses as well as their clinical importance. Many of the lessons learned have obvious relevance to other viruses and cancers, and they illuminate new pathways to oncogenesis. These lessons stand alongside the vaccine as monuments of progress.
Additional text
From the reviews:
"This book probably includes just about anything one might want to know about papillomaviruses. … The book is written for individuals in the fields of immunology, infectious disease, virology, microbiology, cell biology, and cancer biology and research whether they are scientists, clinicians, or students. … All color figures are grouped together in the center of the book and each chapter is well referenced. … It would be a fine edition to a library collection." (Marion C. Cohen, Doody’s Review Service, June, 2008)
Report
From the reviews:
"This book probably includes just about anything one might want to know about papillomaviruses. ... The book is written for individuals in the fields of immunology, infectious disease, virology, microbiology, cell biology, and cancer biology and research whether they are scientists, clinicians, or students. ... All color figures are grouped together in the center of the book and each chapter is well referenced. ... It would be a fine edition to a library collection." (Marion C. Cohen, Doody's Review Service, June, 2008)
