HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS-16 E6 AND E7 ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE NUCLEAR MATRIX OF CERVICAL-CARCINOMA CELLS

Carcinoma of uterine cervix is closely associated with human papilloma virus (HPV) infection and HPV16 DNA has been shown to integrate into t he genome of host cancer cells. The subgenomic fragments (E6E7) were f ound to be present in nuclear matrix (NM)-associated DNA by novel PCR. Further investigation showed the absence of E6 open reading frame (pr otein encoding sequence) in NM-associated DNA. DNA-protein binding ass ay (Southwestern blotting) labeled 2 groups of NM proteins that bound commonly to E6E7 DNA and specifically to either E6 or E7 DNA. Complex protein formation that was recognized by E6E7 was suggested. Further i nvestigation into properties of these NM proteins may provide a better understanding of the role of HPV in cervical carcinogenesis.