HMGB2 stabilizes p53 by interfering with E6/E6AP-mediated p53 degradation in human papillomavirus-positive HeLa cells

We investigated the effect of HMGB2 on the stability of p53 protein in HeLa cells. Overexpression of HMGB2 led to accumulation of the p53 protein, whereas HMGB2 knockdown with siRNA resulted in a substantial decrease in the p53 protein level. The HMGB2-dependent increase of p53 stability was specific for HPV-positive HeLa cells as HCT116 and MCF7 cell lines did not demonstrate this response. Co-expression of HMGB2 and HPV E6 prevented HPV E6 protein-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of p53. FACS analysis exhibited that HeLa cells transfected with HMGB2 displayed decreased cell proliferation, with a concomitant increase of the p53 protein and arrest of the cell cycle, predominantly in G1 phase. Our findings collectively suggest that HMGB2 could stabilize p53 by interfering with E6/E6AP-mediated p53 degradation in HPV-positive HeLa cells.     

Functional inactivation of p73, a homolog of p53 tumor suppressor protein, by human papillomavirus E6 proteins

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is strongly implicated as a causative agent in the etiology of cervical cancer. Of its gene products, E6 binds to and inactivates p53 tumor suppressor protein by ubiquitin/proteasome-dependent degradation. Recently, p73, a novel family of p53, has been identified and demonstrated, like p53, to activate p21(WAF1). Here we show that p73 is also inactivated by HPV-E6, but ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis is not responsive. Yeast two-hybrid and GST pull-down assays indicate a physical interaction between p73 and either HPV-16 or HPV-11 E6 proteins in vivo and in vitro, respectively. The transactivation domain (amino acid residues 1 to 49) is found to be absolutely required for the interaction. Transient co-expression of E6 significantly inhibits the p73-mdiated activation of p21(WAF1) promoter in a p53-defective C33A cell line. Using Gal4-p73 fusion protein, we demonstrate that E6 inhibition of p73 transactivation function is independent of sequence-specific DNA binding, which is confirmed by a direct electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Moreover, E6 inhibits p73 function by interfering with the activity of the amino-terminal activation domain. Co-transfection of E6 mutants reveals that the same portion of E6 appears to be responsible for the inactivation of p53 and p73 function. However, the inactivation mechanism of p73 is clearly different from that of p53, because p73, unlike p53, is inactivated by both high- and low-risk E6s and is not susceptible to E6-dependent proteolysis. These overall results, consequently, suggest that in addition to the inactivation of p53, the functional interference of p73 by HPV-E6 may, at least in part, contribute to E6-mediated transformation and hyperproliferation of cervical cells.     

Dispensability of p53 degradation for tumorigenicity and decreased serum requirement of human papillomavirus type 16 E6

Certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV), such as types 16 and 18, are etiological agents for carcinogenesis of the uterine cervix. These HPVs have two oncogenes, E6 and E7, that have transforming activities in established murine cells. Tumorigenicity and decreased serum requirement for cell growth are conferred by the E6 gene, whereas anchorage-independent growth is mainly governed by the E7 gene. To understand the mechanism of cellular transformation by the HPV16 E6 gene, we examined three mutant E6 proteins defective for p53 binding, p53 degradation, or transactivation of the adenovirus E2 promoter for the ability to induce tumorigenicity and decreased serum requirement. The results showed that tumorigenicity and decreased serum requirement were associated with the ability of E6 to bind to p53, although the subsequent degradation of p53 was not required for these functions. Mol. Carcinog. 21:215–222, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Differential regulation of human papillomavirus E6 by protein kinase A: conditional degradation of human discs large protein by oncogenic E6

The protein Kinase A (PKA) pathway was found to selectively regulate the function of oncogenic but not non-oncogenic E6 proteins. High risk E6 proteins are phosphorylated at their Dlg/PDZ binding motif at the C-terminus by a PKA like activity. This PKA and PDZ binding module is found only for human PV, is strictly conserved in all the transforming HPVs and is absent in all the low risk HPV types. We present evidence of a conditional regulation of E6 induced degradation of Dlg. HPV18E6 positive but not HPV negative keratinocytes exhibit increased Dlg steady state levels under conditions of high PKA activity, with a concomitant increase in the presence of Dlg at tight junctions. In vitro binding experiments show that E6 phosphorylation by PKA reduces its binding to Dlg and molecular modelling can explain this observation in a structural context. E6 dependent degradation of Dlg in cells with high PKA levels is inhibited and this is dependent on phosphorylation of the PDZ binding site in E6. In contrast, the degradation of p53 induced by E6 is not affected by PKA. We propose a differential regulation of E6 for the ubiquitin mediated degradation of specific E6 target proteins.     

Interference of proteins involved in the cytoplasmic sequestration of p53 with human papillomavirus E6-mediated degradation

The oncogenic human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are able to efficiently target p53 for degradation by the ubiquitin pathway. We previously demonstrated inefficient HPV E6-mediated degradation and resulting high steady-state levels of p53 in cell hybrids between a peripheral neuroepithelioma cell line and a cervical carcinoma cell line (HeLa). We now show that the p53 protein in these cell hybrids was cytoplasmically sequestered and exhibited sporadic punctate staining, which is characteristic of the p53 expression pattern observed in neuroblastic neuroblastoma (NB) cell lines, in which p53 is also sequestered. We hypothesized that the cytoplasmic sequestration of p53 in the cell hybrids might correlate with its inability to be rapidly degraded by HPV E6. Using NB cell lines as a model system to test this hypothesis, we demonstrated that the introduction of HPV E6 into two NB cell lines resulted in p53 insensitivity to HPV E6-mediated degradation. This was assessed by both pulse-chase analysis of p53 in metabolically labeled NB cells and western blotting. The enhanced stability of p53 was not due to a lack of HPV E6 expression or to a mutant conformation of the p53 protein. Our results therefore suggest that proteins involved in the cytoplasmic sequestration of p53 may also interfere with the ability of HPV E6 to target p53 for degradation.     

Human papillomavirus E6-induced degradation of E6TP1 is mediated by E6AP ubiquitin ligase

High-risk human papilloma viruses are known to be associated with cervical cancers. We have reported previously that the high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) E6 oncoprotein interacts with E6TP1, a novel Rap GTPase-activating protein (RapGAP). Similar to p53 tumor suppressor protein, the high-risk HPV E6 oncoproteins target E6TP1 for degradation. The HPV16 E6-induced degradation of E6TP1 strongly correlates with its ability to immortalize human mammary epithelial cells. In this study, we used treatment with a proteasome inhibitor MG132, analysis in CHO-ts20 cells with a thermolabile ubiquitin-activating enzyme, and direct detection of ubiquitin-modified E6TP1 to demonstrate that E6TP1 is targeted for degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway both in the presence and in the absence of E6. Using deletion mutants of E6TP1, we mapped the region required and sufficient for E6 binding to COOH-terminal 40 amino acid residues and showed this region to be necessary for E6-dependent degradation of E6TP1. Furthermore, the E6-binding region of E6TP1 complexes with E6AP via E6. Importantly, the purified E6AP enhanced the ubiquitination and degradation of E6TP1 in the presence of E6 in vitro. Additionally, the expression of a dominant-negative E6AP mutant (C833A) in cells inhibited the E6-induced degradation of E6TP1. These findings demonstrate that the E6-induced decrease in the levels of E6TP1 protein involves the E6AP-mediated ubiquitination followed by proteasome-dependent degradation.     

Human papillomavirus oncoprotein E6 upregulates c-Met through p53 downregulation

PurposeHuman papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) carries a distinct clinical behaviour. c-Met oncogene is an important driver for tumour progression and its relationship with HPV in OPSCC was explored in the present study.Experimental designKnockdown of HPV oncogene E6 or p53 alone and in combination was performed to examine their effects on c-Met expression by Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The effects of c-Met inhibition on cell proliferation, migration, and colony formation were examined in HPV-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells. Retrospectively collected OPSCC patient specimens (N = 78) were stained for c-Met by immunohistochemistry and the staining levels were correlated with HPV status and patient outcomes.ResultsE6 knockdown decreased c-Met protein and mRNA expression in HPV-positive HNSCC cells, which was partially abolished by the elimination of p53. Reducing c-Met decreased cell proliferation, migration, and colony formation in HPV-positive HNSCC cells. In OPSCC patient samples, high c-Met expression was associated with HPV-positive status (OR = 4.11, 95%CI: 1.16–14.55, P = 0.028) and tumour stage (OR = 0.27, 95%CI: 0.08–0.93, P = 0.039) by multivariable analysis. In T3/T4 stage patients, high c-Met expression was associated with HPV positivity and low p53 levels, supporting an axis of E6-p53-c-Met regulation. Furthermore, high c-Met expression was marginally associated with poor disease-free survival in HPV-positive patients.ConclusionsOur results suggest that c-Met may serve as a novel target for treating HPV-associated OPSCC. The data also demonstrate that HPV E6 upregulates c-Met expression partially through p53 downregulation.     

p53-independent abrogation of a postmitotic checkpoint contributes to human papillomavirus E6-induced polyploidy

Polyploidy is often an early event during cervical carcinogenesis, and it predisposes cells to aneuploidy, which is thought to play a causal role in tumorigenesis. Cervical and anogenital cancers are induced by the high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV). The HPV E6 oncoprotein induces polyploidy in human keratinocytes, yet the mechanism is not known. It was believed that E6 induces polyploidy by abrogating the spindle checkpoint after mitotic stress. We have tested this hypothesis using human keratinocytes in which E6 expression induces a significant amount of polyploidy. We found that E6 expression does not affect the spindle checkpoint. Instead, we provide direct evidence that E6 is capable of abrogating the subsequent G(1) arrest after adaptation of the mitotic stress. E6 targets p53 for degradation, and previous studies have shown an important role for p53 in modulation of the G(1) arrest after mitotic stress. Importantly, we have discovered that E6 mutants defective in p53 degradation also induce polyploidy, although with lower efficiency. These results suggest that E6 is able to induce polyploidy via both p53-dependent and p53-independent mechanisms. Therefore, our studies highlight a novel function of HPV E6 that may contribute to HPV-induced carcinogenesis and improve our understanding of the onset of the disease.     

Multiple lysine mutations in the C-terminus of p53 make it resistant to degradation mediated by MDM2 but not by human papillomavirus E6 and induce growth inhibition in MDM2-overexpressing cells

We have recently shown that lysine mutations in p53's putative C-terminal acetylation sites result in increased stability and cytoplasmic distribution of the p53 protein in a human lung cancer cell line. In the present study, we showed that when lysine residues 372, 373, 381, and 382 of p53 were substituted with alanine, the resulting A4 protein was resistant to MDM2-mediated proteosomal degradation but was highly sensitive to human papillomavirus E6-mediated proteolysis. When A4 and wild-type p53 were transfected into MDM2-overexpressing MCF-7 cells, A4 significantly reduced colony formation in vitro, when compared with wild-type p53. Our results suggest that A4 exerts a growth-inhibitory effect more efficiently than wild-type p53 does in cell lines that overexpress MDM2 and may therefore be a better therapeutic tool than wild-type p53 for certain cancers in which MDM2 is amplified or overexpressed.     

Escape of p53 protein from E6-mediated degradation in HeLa cells after cisplatin therapy

We previously reported that therapy of human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells with CP induced segregation of nucleoli and changes of nuclei characteristic of apoptosis. We raised the question of whether p53 can be reactivated by chemotherapy in HeLa cells despite the presence of HPV-encoded E6 activity. Cellular levels of p53 protein increased after CP treatment, reaching a maximum after 6 hr. p53 protein accumulated preferentially in the nucleoli, with a peak after 15 hr. CP-induced nucleolar targeting of p53 appears to be selective because p73, another member of the p53 gene family, accumulated primarily in nuclei in response to CP. Monitoring of the intranuclear distribution of Hdm-2, a negative regulator of p53, revealed this protein in the nucleoli of untreated controls translocated into chromatin during CP therapy. Interestingly, p14(ARF) showed an inverse intranuclear redistribution. Proteasome inhibitors were not able to mimic the effect of CP on p53 levels. Since the reduced stability of wild-type p53 protein in HeLa cells is a consequence of its enhanced ubiquitination by virally encoded E6 protein, resulting in its accelerated degradation, we checked the cellular level of E6 during CP therapy. Six hours after application of CP, E6 protein expression was markedly reduced. This coincided with the increase of cellular p53 and preceded the nucleolar accumulation of p53 protein, indicating that repression of virally coded E6 protein by CP contributes to the restoration of p53 expression.     

Induction of tetraploidy through loss of p53 and upregulation of Plk1 by human papillomavirus type-16 E6

Cancer cells are insensitive to many signals that inhibit growth of untransformed cells. Here, we show that primary human epithelial cells expressing human papillomavirus (HPV) type-16 E6/E7 bypass arrest caused by the DNA-damaging drug adriamycin and become tetraploid. To determine the contribution of E6 in the context of E7 to the resistance of arrest and induction of tetraploidy, we used an E6 mutant unable to degrade p53 or RNAi targeting p53 for knockdown. The E6 mutant fails to generate tetraploidy; however, the presence of E7 is sufficient to bypass arrest while the p53 RNAi permits both arrest insensitivity and tetraploidy. We published previously that polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) is upregulated in E6/E7-expressing cells. We observe here that abnormal expression of Plk1 protein correlates with tetraploidy. Using the p53 binding-defective mutant of E6 and p53 RNAi, we show that p53 represses Plk1, suggesting that loss of p53 results in tetraploidy through upregulation of Plk1. Consistent with this hypothesis, overexpression of Plk1 in cells generates tetraploidy but does not confer resistance to arrest. These results support a model for transformation caused by HPV-16 where bypass of arrest and tetraploidy are separable consequences of p53 loss with Plk1 required only for the latter effect.     

E6 protein of human papillomavirus type 18 binds zinc

The E6 open reading frames of human and animal papillomaviruses encode a transforming protein containing a conserved pattern of repeating cysteine doublets (cys-x-x-cys) similar to that found in steroid receptor zinc finger proteins. The spacing between the cysteine doublets, however, is twice as long as in any other zinc finger protein. To demonstrate that an E6 protein could indeed bind zinc, we synthesized the human papillomavirus type 18 E6 protein in insect cells with a baculovirus vector and analysed the protein for zinc-binding activity by a zinc-blot assay. Probing of E6 protein blotted to nitrocellulose from SDS-polyacrylamide gels with radioactive [65Zn]Cl2 demonstrated that it possessed zinc-binding activity. Reduction of cysteines with DTT prior to the addition of zinc greatly increased the zinc-binding activity of blotted E6 protein. Competition experiments showed that Cd2+ and Co2+ were more effective competitors for zinc-binding than Mg2+ or Ca2+, indicating that zinc atoms may be tetrahedrally coordinated in E6-zinc complexes. We mapped zinc-binding protein domains by proteolytic cleavage and demonstrated that a small 4kDa fragment of the protein retained zinc-binding activity, consistent with a model of individual 29 amino acid zinc-binding 'fingers'.     

Human papillomavirus type 77 E6 protein selectively inhibits p53-dependent transcription of proapoptotic genes following UV-B irradiation

DNA damage, such as that elicited by UV-B, can induce either a cell cycle arrest or apoptosis that can be signalled by the p53 protein through the activation of a number of downstream cellular target genes. In contrast to oncogenic anogenital human papillomaviruses (HPVs), which mediate proteolytic degradation of p53, the E6 protein of cutaneous HPVs, such as HPV 77, do not promote p53 degradation. We have previously shown, however, that expression of HPV 77 E6 can effectively block UV-induced apoptosis in cells that have UV-activated p53. Here, we report that expression of the E6 protein from the cutaneous HPV 77 attenuates the UV-induced transactivation of p53-regulated proapoptotic genes Fas, PUMAbeta, Apaf-1, PIG3. This inhibition of p53-activation of proapoptotic genes by HPV77 E6 is exerted selectively, as the increased expression of p53 target genes involved in cell cycle arrest or regulatory functions regulation, such as p21 and Hdm2, is unaffected. Our data suggest that HPV 77 E6 may play an important role in specifically deregulating p53-dependent transactivation of proapoptotic genes upon UV-B irradiation.     

Activation of p53 in cervical cancer cells by human papillomavirus E6 RNA interference is transient, but can be sustained by inhibiting endogenous nuclear export-dependent p53 antagonists

p53 is degraded in cervical cancer cells by the human papillomavirus E6 and can be stabilized with short interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules targeting E6 mRNA. In this in vitro study, we show that E6 siRNA-induced p53 activation is transient in HeLa cervical cancer cells despite continuous suppression of E6 mRNA; activation can be sustained if the endogenous p53 antagonists COP1, MDM2, Pirh2, and c-Jun-NH(2)-kinase are also targeted by siRNAs or by inhibiting the nuclear export of p53 with leptomycin B. The direct targeting of any one of these four cellular p53 antagonists had no effect on p53 activity when E6 was intact, but inhibited the fading off of E6 siRNA-induced p53 activation in nonstress conditions. The effect was additive when multiple cellular antagonists were concomitantly inhibited, indicating that all these proteins degrade p53 when E6 is inactivated. The antiproliferative effect induced by E6 silencing was enhanced when the endogenous p53 antagonists were additionally targeted. In conclusion, if human papillomavirus E6 is inhibited under nonstress conditions, the subsequent p53 activation is quickly reversed by the endogenous p53 degenerative machinery. The present results indicate that several cellular p53 antagonists must be inhibited for sustained p53 activity if E6 siRNA therapy is attempted and if no combined genotoxic therapy is applied.     

Inhibition of E6 induced degradation of p53 is not sufficient for stabilization of p53 protein in cervical tumour derived cell lines.

The E6 proteins derived from tumour associated papillomavirus types target the cellular tumour suppressor protein p53 for ubiquitin mediated degradation. In cell lines derived from cervical tumours the p53 protein is present in very low amounts, but it can be activated by appropriate DNA damaging agents, indicating that functional p53 is present within these lines. Recent studies have also shown that different polymorphic forms of the p53 protein are differentially susceptible to E6 mediated degradation. Therefore we have been interested in analysing the effects of different HPV E6 proteins upon p53 levels in a variety of cervical tumour derived cell lines. We show that inhibition of E6 mediated degradation of p53 frequently results in increased levels of p53 expression. However, there are notable exceptions to this where increased p53 levels are only obtained following DNA damage and proteasome inhibition. We also show in E6 expressing cells, that as well as p53 being targeted for degradation, the localization of p53 to the nucleus is also inhibited, consistent with previous observations which indicate that degradation of p53 is not essential for E6 mediated inhibition of p53 function. These results have important implications for any potential therapies which might aim to block E6 mediated degradation of p53.     

HPV E6 degradation of p53 and PDZ containing substrates in an E6AP null background

Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 and 18 E6 proteins target many of their cellular substrates for proteasome-mediated degradation. In the case of p53, this is mediated by the E6AP ubiquitin ligase. However it is still unclear whether other E6 substrates, in particular those containing PDZ domains, are also degraded in a similar manner. To investigate this, we established an epithelial cell line from E6AP-null mice and used these cells as a background to perform E6-mediated in vivo degradation assays. We show that the PDZ domain-containing substrates of E6, including Scribble, MAGI-1 and MAGI-3, are all subject to E6-mediated degradation in these cells. Strikingly, we also found that p53 could be degraded by E6 within these cells in a proteasome-dependent manner. These results demonstrate that HPV-16 and -18 E6 can target substrates for degradation in a manner independent of the E6AP ubiquitin ligase.     

高危型人乳头瘤病毒癌基因E6和E7调节细胞作用靶点的研究进展

高危型人乳头瘤病毒(human papillomavirus,HPV)的感染与多种人类癌症密切相关,其中最典型的是宫颈癌.高危型HPV最重要的两个病毒癌基因为E6和E7,病毒基因组整合到宿主基因组是病毒癌基因E6和E7实现持续表达的一种方式.HPV癌基因E6和E7能够靶向宿主细胞途径,通过这些相互作用,导致HPV发挥其...