Serum antibody response to the heat shock protein 60 of Chlamydia trachomatis in women with developing cervical cancer

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether serum antibody response to the three versions of chlamydial heat shock protein 60 is associated with an increased risk for cervical cancer. STUDY DESIGN: Women with cervical carcinoma were identified by linking the data files of three Nordic serum banks with cancer registries. Overall, 178 women with invasive cervical carcinoma were identified. For each case, the earliest prediagnostic serum sample was chosen, and three matched control subjects who were free of cancer at the time of the case diagnosis were selected randomly. Serum antibodies to the chlamydial heat shock protein 60 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and correlated with the risk of the subsequent development of cervical cancer. RESULTS: Antibodies to chlamydial heat shock protein 60-1 were associated with cervical squamous cell carcinoma among cases with long lag time (>3.5 years; odds ratio, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.1-5.1). Antibodies to chlamydial heat shock protein 60-2 or chlamydial heat shock protein 60-3 were not associated with cervical cancer risk. CONCLUSIONS: The finding that chlamydial heat shock protein 60-1 antibodies are associated with an increased cervical cancer risk suggests that persistent Chlamydia trachomatis infection may contribute to cervical neoplasia.