Abstract
DNA of human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18 has been found closely associated with human genital cancer1,2, supporting the concept that members of this virus group are key factors in the aetiology of genital cancer3. HPV 18 DNA sequences were also detected in cell lines derived from cervical cancer2. We have now analysed these cell lines, HeLa, C4-1 and 756, for the structural organization and transcription of the HPV 18 genome and we find that the HPV 18 DNA is integrated into the cellular genome and is amplified in HeLa and 756 cells. Almost the complete HPV 18 genome seems to be present in 756 cells, with the early region being disrupted into two portions in each integrated copy. In HeLa and C4-1 cells, a 2–3 kilobase (kb) segment of HPV 18-specific sequences is missing from the E2 to L2 region. HPV 18 sequences are specifically transcribed from the E6–E7–E1 region into poly(A)+ RNAs of 1.5–6.5 kb. Hybridization analysis of cDNA clones indicated that some of the transcripts are composed of HPV 18 and cellular sequences. In addition, poly(A)+ RNA hybridizing with HPV 16 DNA was found in two out of three cervical carcinoma biopsies.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Rent or buy this article
Prices vary by article type
from$1.95
to$39.95
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Dürst, M., Gissmann, L., Ikenberg, H. & zur Hausen, H. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80, 3812–3815 (1983).
Boshart, M. et al. EMBO J. 3, 1151–1157 (1984).
zur Hausen, H. Curr. Topics Microbiol. Immun. 78, 1–30 (1977).
Wettstein, F. O. & Stevens, J. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79, 790–794 (1982).
Gissmann, L., de Villiers, E.-M. & zur Hausen, H. Int. J. Cancer 29, 143–146 (1982).
Clewell, D. B. & Helinski, D. R. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 62, 1159–1166 (1969).
Schwarz, E. et al. EMBO J. 2, 2341–2348 (1983).
Gissmann, L. & Schwarz, E. in Development in Molecular Virology Vol. 5 (ed. Becker, Y.) 173–197 (Nijhoff, Hingham, Massachusetts, 1985).
Heilman, C. A., Engel, L., Lowy, D. R. & Howley, P. M. Virology 119, 22–34 (1982).
Freese, U. K., Schulte, P. & Pfister, H. Virology 117, 257–261 (1982).
Amtmann, E. & Sauer, G. J. Virol. 43, 59–66 (1982).
Pfister, H. Rev. Physiol. Biochem. Pharm. 99, 111–181 (1984).
Georges, E., Croissant, O., Bonneaud, N. & Orth, G. J. Virol. 51, 530–538 (1984).
McVay, P., Fretz, M., Wettstein, F. O., Stevens, J. G. & Ito, Y. J. gen. Virol. 60, 271–278 (1982).
Maxam, A. M. & Gilbert, W. Meth. Enzym. 65, 499–560 (1980).
Auersperg, N. & Hawryluk, A. F. J. natn. Cancer Inst. 28, 605–627 (1962).
Freedman, R. S. et al. in vitro 18, 719–726 (1982).
Southern, E. M. J. molec. Biol. 98, 503–517 (1975).
Rigby, P. W. J., Dieckmann, M., Rhodes, C. & Berg, P. J. molec. Biol. 113, 237–251 (1977).
Freese, U. K., Laux, G., Hudewentz, J., Schwarz, E. & Bornkamm, G. W. J. Virol. 48, 731–743 (1983).
Aviv, H. & Leder, P. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 69, 1408–1413 (1972).
Seed, B. Nucleic Acids Res. 10, 1799–1810 (1982).
Moos, M. & Gallwitz, D. EMBO J. 2, 757–761 (1983).
Dürst, M., Kleinheinz, A., Hotz, M. & Gissmann, L. J. gen. Virol. (in the press).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Schwarz, E., Freese, U., Gissmann, L. et al. Structure and transcription of human papillomavirus sequences in cervical carcinoma cells. Nature 314, 111–114 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1038/314111a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/314111a0
This article is cited by
-
The interactions between PML nuclear bodies and small and medium size DNA viruses
Virology Journal (2023)
-
Treating Head and Neck Cancer in the Age of Immunotherapy: A 2023 Update
Drugs (2023)
-
Human papillomavirus and cervical cancer: an insight highlighting pathogenesis and targeting strategies
VirusDisease (2022)
-
HPV16 E6 enhances the radiosensitivity in HPV-positive human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma by regulating the miR-27a-3p/SMG1 axis
Infectious Agents and Cancer (2021)
-
An atlas of the tissue and blood metagenome in cancer reveals novel links between bacteria, viruses and cancer
Microbiome (2021)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.