Immunoglobulin class of antibody to herpes simplex virus in patients with oral cancer

Abstract

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure antibody of the IgG, IgA, and IgM classes against Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in human sera. Patients with untreated oral cancer had higher levels of IgM antibody to HSV-1 than did either patients with acute or recurrent herpetic infections or age-matched control subjects. Levels of IgM antibody to cytomegalovirus and total serum IgM concentrations were similar in all groups. Patients who had been treated successfully for oral cancer more than one year earlier did not have higher levels of IgM antibody to HSV-1. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that cancer of the mouth is associated with expression of HSV-1 antigens that stimulate IgM rather than IgG antibody responses.