Bovine papillomavirus type 1 E7 protein (BPV-1 E7)

The Bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV-1) E7 protein is a small, zinc-binding viral oncoprotein that plays a critical role in the viral life cycle and cellular transformation. Unlike its human papillomavirus (HPV) counterparts, BPV-1 E7 does not primarily function through high-affinity binding to the retinoblastoma protein (pRb), but instead interacts with cellular proteins such as p600 to promote cell survival and transformation of fibroblasts (UniProt, P03123). It is essential for the stable maintenance of the viral genome as an episome within infected cells, facilitating long-term persistence (PubMed, PMID: 15141010). In its natural host, BPV-1 E7 contributes to the formation of fibropapillomas, and it is also a primary causative factor in equine sarcoids, the most common skin tumor in horses (NCBI, PMC4153350). As a therapeutic target, E7 is frequently utilized in the development of therapeutic vaccines designed to elicit a cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response to eliminate infected cells. Current research also explores the use of RNA interference to silence E7 expression as a means of inhibiting tumor growth and viral persistence (PubMed, PMID: 19211752).

Other names

Protein E7E7 oncoproteinBPV1-E7

Induction of T-cell mediated immune response against E7-expressing cells or silencing of viral oncogene expression.