The long-term goals of our research are to understand the mechanisms of HPV-host interactions necessary for establishing and maintaining HPV infections in human keratinocytes throughout HPV-associated cancer progression. Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the most common sexually transmitted pathogen, causally associated with a growing number of human cancers including cervical, vaginal, penile, anal, head/neck, and other squamous carcinomas, causing almost half a million deaths worldwide each year (International Agency for Research on Cancer). To establish persistent infections, the virus must enter the nucleus and establish its genome as a nuclear plasmid. However, little is known about how HPV genome enters the nucleus and establishes its replication, due to technical limitations. To achieve our goals, we will: 1) define the role of host cell mitosis and microtubule reorganization for HPV DNA nuclear entry in human keratinocytes;and 2) investigate host innate responses and its roles for early steps of HPV infection in primary keratinocytes in vitro and in vivo. In these studies, we will develop reliable HPV DNA labeling systems with various fluorescent tags and track the movement of HPV DNA in live human keratinocytes, using infectious HPV virions and real time imaging technology. In addition, we will test alterations of HPV infectivity, DNA entry into the nucleus, and genome replication by knockdown of host factors involved in mitosis, microtubule network, and host innate immunity. Recently developed prophylactic HPV vaccines should eventually reduce infections by some HPV genotypes. However, because the vaccines do not cover all HPVs and do not eliminate existing infections, there remains an urgent need to develop new means of intervening in HPV infections and preventing cancer progression. Our studies will provide further understanding of mechanisms employed by HPVs to establish infections and thereby identify pathways to target for preventing HPV-associated cancers.

Public Health Relevance

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the most common sexually transmitted pathogen, causally associated with many human cancers. Although the virus must enter the nucleus and establish its genome as a nuclear plasmid for persistent infection and cancer development, little is known about how HPV genome enters the nucleus and establishes its replication. The goals of our research are to understand the mechanisms of HPV-host interactions necessary for establishing and maintaining HPV infections in primary keratinocytes in vitro and in vivo.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AI091968-04
Application #
8645600
Study Section
Virology - B Study Section (VIRB)
Program Officer
Hiltke, Thomas J
Project Start
2011-05-01
Project End
2016-04-30
Budget Start
2014-05-01
Budget End
2015-04-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2014
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Colorado Denver
Department
Microbiology/Immun/Virology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
City
Aurora
State
CO
Country
United States
Zip Code
80045
Westrich, Joseph A; Warren, Cody J; Klausner, Michael J et al. (2018) Human Papillomavirus 16 E7 Stabilizes APOBEC3A Protein by Inhibiting Cullin 2-Dependent Protein Degradation. J Virol 92:
Kuss-Duerkop, Sharon K; Westrich, Joseph A; Pyeon, Dohun (2018) DNA Tumor Virus Regulation of Host DNA Methylation and Its Implications for Immune Evasion and Oncogenesis. Viruses 10:
Westrich, Joseph A; Warren, Cody J; Pyeon, Dohun (2017) Evasion of host immune defenses by human papillomavirus. Virus Res 231:21-33
Cicchini, Louis; Blumhagen, Rachel Z; Westrich, Joseph A et al. (2017) High-Risk Human Papillomavirus E7 Alters Host DNA Methylome and Represses HLA-E Expression in Human Keratinocytes. Sci Rep 7:3633
Warren, Cody J; Westrich, Joseph A; Doorslaer, Koenraad Van et al. (2017) Roles of APOBEC3A and APOBEC3B in Human Papillomavirus Infection and Disease Progression. Viruses 9:
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Pyeon, Dohun; Price, Lenore; Park, In-Woo (2015) Comparative molecular genetic analysis of simian and human HIV-1 integrase interactor INI1/SMARCB1/SNF5. Arch Virol 160:3085-91
Pyeon, Dohun; Park, In-Woo (2015) Interaction between Nef and INI1/SMARCB1 augments replicability of HIV-1 in resting human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Arch Virol 160:727-37
Warren, Cody J; Pyeon, Dohun (2015) APOBEC3 in papillomavirus restriction, evolution and cancer progression. Oncotarget 6:39385-6

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