Papillomavirus Protein Fragment Blocks Spread of the Virus in Tissue Culture

A protein fragment generated from an integral human papillomavirus (HPV) protein prevents transcription of viral genes and blocks spread of the HPV virus, which is the causative agent of cervical and anogenital cancers.

Investigators at Tufts University (Boston, MA, USA) prepared a truncated version of the HPV E2 protein. This E2R fragment contained only the protein's C-terminal dimerization domain, and repressed the normal function of E2 due to formation of an inactive heterodimer.

When tested in a mammalian cell cultures system, E2R and was found to inhibit the E2 protein of HPV-16, the high-risk strain of the virus that is most commonly associated with cancers. As HPV infects epithelial cells, the outermost layer of the skin, and the mucous membranes, protein inhibitors such as E2R may be adaptable to application in a topical form.

"Currently, there is no cure for HPV, and the available treatment options involve destroying the affected tissue,” said senior author Dr. James Baleja, associate professor of biochemistry at Tufts University. "We have developed a protein inhibitor that blocks HPV protein expression in cell culture, a first step toward a topically-applied treatment for this cancer-causing virus.”

"Vaccines are helping to lower the incidence of HPV, but vaccines will not help the millions of women and men who currently have an infection, especially those who have high-risk and persistent infections,” said Dr. Baleja. "Social and economic challenges make widespread administration of a vaccine difficult, particularly in developing countries. A topical treatment for HPV could provide an economical option.”

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