Human papillomavirus L1 major capsid protein (HPV L1) (HPV L1)

The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) L1 major capsid protein is the primary structural protein of the HPV virus, responsible for forming the outer shell of the virion and facilitating entry into host cells (UniProt P03101). In vaccine development, recombinant L1 proteins are synthesized to form virus-like particles (VLPs), which mimic the structure of the actual virus but contain no viral DNA (Schiller & Lowy, 2012). These VLPs act as the primary antigen in prophylactic HPV vaccines, stimulating the host's immune system to produce high levels of neutralizing antibodies (National Cancer Institute, 2023). These antibodies specifically target the L1 protein on the surface of the virus, preventing the virus from binding to the basement membrane and infecting basal epithelial cells (PMID: 22411285). This mechanism effectively prevents persistent HPV infections, which are the primary cause of cervical, anal, and oropharyngeal cancers, as well as genital warts (CDC, 2021). Prophylactic vaccines like Gardasil 9 and Cervarix utilize these VLPs to provide long-term immunity against the most oncogenic HPV types (FDA, 2020).

Other names

HPV L1 virus-like particlesL1 VLPMajor capsid protein L1Human papillomavirus L1 proteinHPV L1-induced antibodies

Induction of host-derived neutralizing antibodies that bind to the L1 protein, sterically hindering viral attachment and entry into host basal epithelial cells (Schiller & Lowy, 2012).