Human papillomavirus type 16 major capsid protein L1 (HPV-16 L1) (HPV-16 L1)

The Human papillomavirus type 16 major capsid protein L1 is the primary structural component of the HPV-16 virion, which is the most oncogenic high-risk HPV type (UniProt P03101). This protein self-assembles into pentameric capsomers that further organize into icosahedral virus-like particles (VLPs), which serve as the antigenic basis for current prophylactic vaccines like Gardasil 9 and Cervarix (PubMed: 26014915). The L1 protein facilitates the initial attachment of the virus to the basement membrane and subsequent entry into basal epithelial cells. While it is not a target for direct small-molecule drug binding, it is the critical antigen for the immune response in vaccine-mediated protection. Vaccination induces high titers of neutralizing antibodies that bind to the L1 protein, blocking the virus from infecting host cells and thereby preventing HPV-related malignancies such as cervical, anal, and oropharyngeal cancers (NIH/NCI). Because L1 expression is often lost during the progression to invasive cancer as the viral genome integrates into the host DNA, it is primarily a target for prevention rather than the treatment of established tumors.

Other names

Major capsid protein L1HPV16 L1L1 proteinHPV-16 L1

Induction of neutralizing antibodies through the presentation of virus-like particles (VLPs) that mimic the viral capsid, preventing viral entry into host cells (PubMed: 26014915).