Alteration of cell-cycle regulatory proteins in human oral epithelial cells immortalized by HPV16 E6 and E7

E6 and E7 oncoproteins from high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) can transform cells in tissue culture and induce tumors in vivo by abrogating the cell-cycle checkpoint. To investigate the impact of HPV16 E6 and E7 on the cell-cycle regulatory machinery in oral epithelial cells, normal human oral epithelial cells were transfected with HPV16 E6 and E7 open reading frames, and alterations in cell-cycle regulatory proteins in cells expressing HPV16 E6 and E7 were analyzed. E6 and E7 expression results in immortalization of oral epithelial cells. E7 inactivates retinoblastoma protein (Rb) by forming complexes with hypophosphorylated Rb in immortalized oral epithelial cells. P53 and P21 protein levels were increased in immortalized cells compared to normal primary oral epithelial cells. Cyclin D1–cell-cycle-dependent kinase 4 binary association is disrupted in immortalized oral epithelial cells. These results indicate that E7 plays an important role in abrogation of cell-cycle regulation in oral epithelial cells, with E6 having a smaller impact. This suggests that the pathogenesis of HPV in oral epithelial cells differs from that in cervical epithelial cells.