Human papillomavirus type 11 L1 virus-like particle (HPV-11 L1 VLP) (HPV-11 L1 VLP)

The Human papillomavirus type 11 L1 virus-like particle (VLP) is a recombinant protein assembly that mimics the outer shell of the HPV type 11 virus without containing infectious viral DNA (UniProt: P03103). HPV type 11 is a low-risk genotype primarily responsible for benign but clinically significant lesions such as genital warts (condyloma acuminata) and recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) (CDC, 2021). The L1 protein is the major capsid protein of the virus and has the intrinsic ability to self-assemble into VLPs that are morphologically and antigenically similar to the native virion (PubMed: 11133516). When used as a vaccine component, such as in Gardasil or Gardasil 9, these VLPs trigger a robust humoral immune response, leading to the production of neutralizing antibodies (FDA, 2020). These antibodies prevent the virus from infecting host epithelial cells by blocking its attachment and entry. Consequently, the HPV-11 L1 VLP is a critical prophylactic target used in multi-valent vaccines to reduce the burden of HPV-related diseases. The use of VLPs ensures high immunogenicity while maintaining a high safety profile due to the lack of genetic material.

Other names

HPV11 L1 VLPHuman papillomavirus type 11 major capsid protein L1HPV-11 L1 proteinL1 protein of HPV 11

Induction of neutralizing antibodies against the L1 protein to prevent viral attachment and entry into host cells (PubMed: 16439306).