HPV16 E6-178G/E7-647G Promotes Proliferation and Inhibits Apoptosis in Cervical Cancer C33A Cells

BackgroundHPV16 is the main cause of cervical cancer. In our study, we aimed to investigate the role of HPV mutants HPV16 E6-178G/E7-647G in the proliferation and apoptosis of cervical cancer C33A cells. MethodsPlasmids encoding the HPV16 E7 prototype (E7-647A)-GV144, E7 mutant (E7-647G)-GV144, HPV16 E6/E7 prototype (E6-178T/E7-647A)-GV144, and E6/E7 mutant (E6-178G/E7-647G)-GV144 were stably transfected into cervical cancer C33A cells. Western blot analysis, CCK8 proliferation assay, cell cloning assay and flow cytometry were used to detect the effects of the different polymorphism sites in HPV16 on cell proliferation and apoptosis. ResultsHPV16 mutations promoted the proliferation and inhibited the apoptosis of cervical cancer C33A cells, and the effect of the E6-178G/E7-647G co-mutation was significantly greater than that of the single E7-647G mutant (P<0.05). ConclusionsHPV16 E6-178G/E7-647G can thus promote the proliferation and inhibit the apoptosis of cervical cancer cells. Importance: HPV16 is the most common type and the main cause of cervical cancer. It is a fatal threat to the health of millions of women. The genetic differences among HPV16 sub-types may be related to their carcinogenic potential. HPV mutations can differ in biology and etiology, leading to differences in tumor development and behavior. However, little is known about the carcinogenic potential of the HPV16 variant in Asian women compared to many studies in European and American populations.