Sp100 Provides Intrinsic Immunity against Human Papillomavirus Infection

Abstract

The intrinsic immune system provides a first-line defense against invading pathogens. Host cells contain nuclear bodies (ND10) that are important for antiviral defense, yet many DNA viruses localize here upon cell entry. However, viruses also disrupt, reorganize, and modify individual components of the bodies. In this study, we show that one of the ND10 components, Sp100, limits the infection of human skin cells by human papillomavirus (HPV). HPVs are important pathogens that cause many types of infection of the cutaneous and mucosal epithelium and are the causative agents of several human cancers. Understanding how host cells counteract HPV infection could provide insight into antimicrobial therapies that could limit initial infection.