Human papillomavirus type 18 E7 oncogene (HPV18 E7)

Human papillomavirus type 18 E7 (HPV18 E7) is a potent oncoprotein and a primary driver of cervical and other anogenital cancers. Its main biological function is the disruption of the host cell cycle by binding to and promoting the degradation of the retinoblastoma protein (pRb), which releases E2F transcription factors and forces the cell into the S-phase. This process leads to uncontrolled cell proliferation, genomic instability, and eventual malignant transformation. Furthermore, HPV18 E7 facilitates immune evasion by inhibiting the cGAS-STING signaling pathway, thereby dampening the host's innate immune response to viral infection. In the context of drug development, the HPV18 E7 oncogene is a target for therapeutic DNA vaccines, such as VGX-3100 and MEDI0457, which are designed to stimulate a cytotoxic T-cell response against cells expressing the viral antigen. Additionally, emerging gene-editing strategies like CRISPR/Cas9 specifically target the HPV18 E7 DNA sequence to disrupt its expression, thereby restoring tumor suppressor activity and inducing apoptosis in cancer cells.

Other names

HPV18 E7 geneHPV18 E7 proteinHuman papillomavirus 18 E7HPV-18 E7

Induction of antigen-specific CD8+ T cell immune responses to eliminate HPV-infected cells; Disruption of the viral DNA sequence to restore host tumor suppressor activity.