MAML1-induced HPV E6 oncoprotein stability is required for cellular proliferation and migration of cervical tumor-derived cells.

While a small proportion of high-risk (HR) alpha (α) human papillomaviruses (HPVs) is associated with numerous human malignancies, of which cervical cancer is the most prevalent, beta (ß) HPVs predominantly act as co-factors in skin carcinogenesis. A characteristic feature of both α- and ß-E6 oncoproteins is the presence of the LXXLL binding motif, which α-E6s utilize to form a complex with E6AP and which enables ß-E6s to interact with MAML1. Here we show that multiple α-E6 oncoproteins bind to MAML1 via the LXXLL binding motif and that this results in increased protein stability. Moreover, ß-E6 oncoprotein stability is also dependent on the interaction with MAML1. Additionally, in the absence of MAML1, endogenous HPV-8 E6 and HPV-18 E6 are rapidly degraded at the proteasome. Ablation of both E6AP and MAML1 leads to an even more profound downregulation of α-E6 protein expression, whereas this is not observed with ß-E6. This highly suggests that there is one cellular pool for most of ß-E6 that interacts solely with MAML1, whereas there are two cellular pools of HR α-E6, one forming a complex with MAML1 and the other interacting with E6AP. Furthermore, MAML1 induces HPV-8 E6 shuttling from the nucleus to the cytosolic fraction, while MAML1 interaction with HR E6 induces a drastic nuclear and membrane upregulation of E6. Interestingly, the HR α-E6/MAML1 complex does not affect targeting of some of the known HR E6 cellular substrates such as p53 and DLG1. However, MAML1 and E6AP joint co-expression with HR α-E6 leads to a significant increase in cellular proliferation, whereas silencing MAML1 decreases wound closure in HeLa cells. These results demonstrate that HR α-E6 interaction with MAML1 results in a stable form of E6, which likely modulates MAML1's normal cellular activities, one consequence of which being an increased proliferative capacity of HPV-transformed cancer cells. Thus, this study shows a novel function of the α-E6 oncoprotein and how it's activity might affect HPV-induced pathogenesis.

PDZ Domain-Containing Protein NHERF-2 Is a Novel Target of Human Papillomavirus 16 (HPV-16) and HPV-18.

Cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV) E6 oncoproteins have a class I PDZ-binding motif (PBM) on their C termini, which play critical roles that are related to the HPV life cycle and HPV-induced malignancies. E6 oncoproteins use these PBMs to interact with, to target for proteasome-mediated degradation, a plethora of cellular substrates that contain PDZ domains and that are involved in the regulation of various cellular pathways. In this study, we show that both HPV-16 and HPV-18 E6 oncoproteins can interact with Na+/H+ exchange regulatory factor 2 (NHERF-2), a PDZ domain-containing protein, which among other cellular functions also behaves as a tumor suppressor regulating endothelial proliferation. The interaction between the E6 oncoproteins and NHERF-2 is PBM dependent and results in proteasome-mediated degradation of NHERF-2. We further confirmed this effect in cells derived from HPV-16- and HPV-18-positive cervical tumors, where we show that NHERF-2 protein turnover is increased in the presence of E6. Finally, our data indicate that E6-mediated NHERF-2 degradation results in p27 downregulation and cyclin D1 upregulation, leading to accelerated cellular proliferation. To our knowledge, this is the first report to demonstrate that E6 oncoproteins can stimulate cell proliferation by indirectly regulating p27 through targeting a PDZ domain-containing protein.IMPORTANCE This study links HPV-16 and HPV-18 E6 oncoproteins to the modulation of cellular proliferation. The PDZ domain-containing protein NHERF-2 is a tumor suppressor that has been shown to regulate endothelial proliferation; here, we demonstrate that NHERF-2 is targeted by HPV E6 for proteasome-mediated degradation. Interestingly, this indirectly affects p27, cyclin D1, and CDK4 protein levels and, consequently, affects cell proliferation. Hence, this study provides information that will improve our understanding of the molecular basis for HPV E6 function, and it also highlights the importance of the PDZ domain-containing protein NHERF-2 and its tumor-suppressive role in regulating cell proliferation.

Human Papillomaviruses-Associated Cancers: An Update of Current Knowledge.

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs), which are small, double-stranded, circular DNA viruses infecting human epithelial cells, are associated with various benign and malignant lesions of mucosa and skin. Intensive research on the oncogenic potential of HPVs started in the 1970s and spread across Europe, including Croatia, and worldwide. Nowadays, the causative role of a subset of oncogenic or high-risk (HR) HPV types, led by HPV-16 and HPV-18, of different anogenital and head and neck cancers is well accepted. Two major viral oncoproteins, E6 and E7, are directly involved in the development of HPV-related malignancies by targeting synergistically various cellular pathways involved in the regulation of cell cycle control, apoptosis, and cell polarity control networks as well as host immune response. This review is aimed at describing the key elements in HPV-related carcinogenesis and the advances in cancer prevention with reference to past and on-going research in Croatia.

HPV Oncoproteins and the Ubiquitin Proteasome System: A Signature of Malignancy?

Human papillomavirus (HPV) E6 and E7 oncoproteins are critical for development and maintenance of the malignant phenotype in HPV-induced cancers. These two viral oncoproteins interfere with a plethora of cellular pathways, including the regulation of cell cycle and the control of apoptosis, which are critical in maintaining normal cellular functions. E6 and E7 bind directly with certain components of the Ubiquitin Proteasome System (UPS), enabling them to manipulate a number of important cellular pathways. These activities are the means by which HPV establishes an environment supporting the normal viral life cycle, however in some instances they can also lead to the development of malignancy. In this review, we have discussed how E6 and E7 oncoproteins from alpha and beta HPV types interact with the components of the UPS, and how this interplay contributes to the development of cancer.

ATP synthase modulation leads to an increase of spare respiratory capacity in HPV associated cancers.

Mucosal and skin cancers are associated with infections by human papillomaviruses (HPV). The manner how viral oncoproteins hijack the host cell metabolism to meet their own energy demands and how this may contribute to tumorigenesis is poorly understood. We now show that the HPV oncoprotein E7 of HPV8, HPV11 and HPV16 directly interact with the beta subunit of the mitochondrial ATP-synthase (ATP5B), which may therefore represent a conserved feature across different HPV genera. By measuring both glycolytic and mitochondrial activity we observed that the association of E7 with ATP5B was accompanied by reduction of glycolytic activity. Interestingly, there was a drastic increase in spare mitochondrial respiratory capacity in HPV8-E7 and an even more profound increase in HPV16-E7 expressing cells. In addition, we could show that ATP5B levels were unchanged in betaHPV positive skin cancers. However, comparing HPV-positive and HPV-negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCC) we noticed that, while ATP5B expression levels did not correlate with patient overall survival in HPV-negative OPSCC, there was a strong correlation within the HPV16-positive OPSCC patient group. These novel findings provide evidence that HPV targets the host cell energy metabolism important for viral life cycle and HPV-mediated tumorigenesis.