Investigator

Jiafen Hu

Assistant Professor · Penn State College of Medicine, Pathology

JHJiafen Hu
Papers(3)
The vaginal microbiom…Monitoring mouse papi…Increased human papil…
Collaborators(10)
Johannes CrezeeLouis VermeulenLukas J. A. StalpersNicole M. GilbertRenske DM SteenbergenSeth‐Frerich FobianSonia N. WhangThomas T. MurookaTimo L. M. ten HagenXionge Mei
Institutions(7)
Pennsylvania State Un…Amsterdam UMC Locatie…Academic Medical Cent…Washington University…Vrije Universiteit Am…University Of ManitobaErasmus MC

Papers

Monitoring mouse papillomavirus-associated cancer development using longitudinal Pap smear screening

ABSTRACT A substantial percentage of the population remains at risk for cervical cancer due to pre-existing human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, despite prophylactic vaccines. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for better disease outcomes. The development of new treatments heavily relies on suitable preclinical model systems. Recently, we established a mouse papillomavirus (MmuPV1) model that is relevant to HPV genital pathogenesis. In the current study, we validated the use of Papanicolaou (Pap) smears, a valuable early diagnostic tool for detecting HPV cervical cancer, to monitor disease progression in the MmuPV1 mouse model. Biweekly cervicovaginal swabs were collected from the MmuPV1-infected mice for viral DNA quantitation and cytology assessment. The Pap smear slides were evaluated for signs of epithelial cell abnormalities using the 2014 Bethesda system criteria. Tissues from the infected mice were harvested at various times post-viral infection for additional histological and virological assays. Over time, increased viral replication was consistent with higher levels of viral DNA, and it coincided with an uptick in epithelial cell abnormalities with higher severity scores noted as early as 10 weeks after viral infection. The cytological results also correlated with the histological evaluation of tissues harvested simultaneously. Both immunocompromised and immunocompetent mice with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cytology also developed vaginal SCCs. Notably, samples from the MmuPV1-infected mice exhibited similar cellular abnormalities compared to the corresponding human samples at similar disease stages. Hence, Pap smear screening proves to be an effective tool for the longitudinal monitoring of disease progression in the MmuPV1 mouse model. IMPORTANCE Papanicolaou (Pap) smear has saved millions of women's lives as a valuable early screening tool for detecting human papillomavirus (HPV) cervical precancers and cancer. However, more than 200,000 women in the United States alone remain at risk for cervical cancer due to pre-existing HPV infection-induced precancers, as there are currently no effective treatments for HPV-associated precancers and cancers other than invasive procedures including a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) to remove abnormal tissues. In the current study, we validated the use of Pap smears to monitor disease progression in our recently established mouse papillomavirus model. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that provides compelling evidence of applying Pap smears from cervicovaginal swabs to monitor disease progression in mice. This HPV-relevant cytology assay will enable us to develop and test novel antiviral and anti-tumor therapies using this model to eliminate HPV-associated diseases and cancers.

19Works
3Papers
14Collaborators
Papillomavirus InfectionsVaginosis, BacterialSkin NeoplasmsEarly Detection of CancerUterine Cervical DiseasesNeoplasms

Positions

2017–

Assistant Professor

Penn State College of Medicine · Pathology

2004–

Research Associate

Pennsylvania State University · Pathology

1991–

Lecturer

Wuhan University · Virology and Molecular biology

Education

2017

Master

Penn State Harrisburg · Adult Education

2004

Post-doc

Pennsylvania State University · Pathology

1999

Ph.D.

Chinese Academy of Sciences · Psychology institute

1991

M. S.

Wuhan University · Virology and Molecular biology