Regulation of human papillomavirus transcription by the differentiation-dependent epithelial factor Epoc-1/skn-1a.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) early gene expression is closely linked to the differentiation status of infected epithelial cells. Typically, HPV type 16 (HPV16) or HPV18 E6 and E7 transcripts are only barely detectable within the undifferentiated basal cell layer, but their levels increase concomitantly with higher degrees of epithelial cell differentiation in suprabasal cells. A similar differentiation-dependent distribution of expression has been reported for the recently cloned epithelial cell specific transcription factor Epoc-1/skn-1a. We therefore examined whether Epoc-1/skn-1a may be directly involved in the activation of HPV E6/E7 transcription. Transient transfection studies showed that Epoc-1/skn-1a specifically stimulated the HPV16 and HPV18 E6/E7 promoters. Moreover, ectopically expressed Epoc-1/skn-1a was sufficient to stimulate HPV transcription also in nonepithelial cells. By deletion analyses, the Epoc-1/skn-1a-responsive element was mapped to the promoter-proximal portion of the HPV18 transcriptional control region. Footprint analyses and gel retardation assays demonstrated direct binding of Epoc-1/skn-1a to a hitherto uncharacterized site within this region. Mutation of the Epoc-1/skn-1a recognition site within the context of the complete HPV18 upstream regulatory region inhibited Epoc-1/skn-1a-mediated transactivation. These results show that Epoc-1/skn-1a can directly activate the E6/E7 promoter by binding to the viral transcriptional control region. Thus, Epoc-1/skn-1a may be involved in the differentiation-dependent regulation of HPV transcription.
Institute for Molecular and Cellular Biology, Osaka University, Japan.
K
K
Yukawa
K
K
Butz
T
T
Yasui
H
H
Kikutani
F
F
Hoppe-Seyler
D001483:Base Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002460:Cell Line; D004279:DNA, Viral; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D050810:Octamer Transcription Factors; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D004279:DNA, Viral; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C052603:E6 protein, Human papillomavirus type 18; C052633:E7 protein, Human papillomavirus type 18; D050810:Octamer Transcription Factors; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; C484169:POU2F3 protein, human; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors