title: HPV-2 isolates from patients with huge verrucae vulgaris possess stronger promoter activities.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the influences of the mutations within the long control region (LCR) and E2 open reading frame (ORF) of the human papillomavirus-2 (HPV-2) isolates from patients with extensive verrucae vulgaris with cutaneous horns in the activities of the viral early promoters.
  
  
  METHODS
  A PCR method was applied for screening HPV DNA in the lesion specimens and the complete HPV-2 genomes was analyzed. Recombinant CAT-reporter plasmids containing various HPV-2 LCRs and mammalian expression plasmids containing E2 ORF were constructed. The promoter activity was evaluated by transient transfection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The whole HPV-2 genomes were obtained from both patients. Several mutations in LCR and mutations leading to alterations of amino acids in E2 protein were identified in isolate-1, while a few point mutations in LCR were seen in isolate-2. Under the control of LCRs, the viral early promoter activities of isolate-1 and isolate-2 were increased 3- and 2-fold, respectively. Alterations of amino acids in E2 protein of isolate-1 partially abolished its promoter repressive activity. Compared with that of prototype HPV-2, the promoter activity of isolate-1 in the presence of its E2-expressing plasmid was significantly increased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increased promoter activities might be linked, at least partially, to the clinical phenotypes of the uncommon huge verrucae vulgaris.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiao-Tong University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Hui-Ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Jian-Ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Yu-Kang
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Xiao-Ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Dong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution / Q000235:genetics; D019677:Artificial Gene Fusion; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D016679:Genome, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D014860:Warts / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase