Human papillomavirus type 16 E2 protein (HPV16 E2)

The Human papillomavirus type 16 E2 protein (HPV16 E2) is a multi-functional DNA-binding protein that serves as the master regulator of the HPV16 life cycle [1]. It is primarily responsible for recruiting the viral E1 helicase to the origin of replication, thereby initiating viral DNA synthesis, and for regulating the transcription of the viral oncogenes E6 and E7 [2]. In the early stages of infection, E2 maintains low levels of E6 and E7 expression; however, during the progression to malignancy, the E2 gene is frequently disrupted or deleted upon integration of the viral genome into the host DNA [3]. This loss of E2 leads to the overexpression of E6 and E7, which inactivates the host tumor suppressors p53 and pRb, respectively, driving oncogenesis [3]. As a therapeutic target, E2 is utilized in the development of therapeutic vaccines to induce T-cell responses against infected cells and is a focus for small-molecule inhibitors designed to disrupt the E1-E2 interaction [4, 5]. Targeting E2 offers a strategy to both prevent viral replication in persistent infections and restore transcriptional control over viral oncogenes [2]. Citations: [1] UniProtKB - P03120 (VE2_HPV16); [2] McBride AA. Virology. 2013;445(1-2):57-79. PMID: 23536664; [3] Graham SV. Braz J Infect Dis. 2017;21(1):82-91. PMID: 28024701; [4] Govan VA. Vaccines (Basel). 2022;10(11):1795. PMID: 36366344; [5] White PW, et al. J Biol Chem. 2003;278(29):26765-72. PMID: 12734194.

Other names

Regulatory protein E2E2 proteinHPV-16 E2VE2_HPV16Protein E2

Inhibition of the protein-protein interaction between E1 and E2 to prevent viral DNA replication, or induction of cellular immune responses through therapeutic vaccination to eliminate HPV-infected cells [2, 4, 5].