Detection of Human Papillomavirus DNA on Red Blood Cells in Patients With Cervical Cancer

Red blood cells (RBCs) have the potential to bind and harbor viral DNA, providing a novel approach to detecting human papillomavirus (HPV). Red blood cells incubated with fluorescently labeled HPV CpG acquired HPV DNA in a concentration-dependent manner. Red blood cells incubated with HPV-positive cervical cancer cells (CaSki cell line) acquired HPV 16 DNA detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Consistent with these results, HPV 16 DNA was detected by quantitative PCR on RBCs from five patients with cervical cancer or dysplasia but not on healthy control RBCs. Detection of HPV 16 DNA on RBCs from patients with cervical cancer underscores the potential of RBC-bound DNA as a substrate for future blood-based HPV screening.