Fusion of CTLA-4 with HPV16 E7 and E6 Enhanced the Potency of Therapeutic HPV DNA Vaccine

Preventive anti-HPV vaccines are effective against HPV infection but not against existing HPV-associated diseases, including cervical cancer and other malignant diseases. Therefore, the development of therapeutic vaccines is urgently needed. To improve anti-tumor effects of therapeutic vaccine, we fused cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) with HPV16 E7 and E6 as a fusion therapeutic DNA vaccine (pCTLA4-E7E6). pCTLA4-E7E6 induced significantly higher anti-E7E6 specific antibodies and relatively stronger specific CTL responses than the nonfusion DNA vaccine pE7E6 in C57BL/6 mice bearing with TC-1 tumors. pCTLA4-E7E6 showed relatively stronger anti-tumor effects than pE7E6 in therapeutic immunization. These results suggest that fusing CTLA-4 with E7E6 is a useful strategy to develop therapeutic HPV DNA vaccines. In addition, fusing the C-terminal of E7 with the N-terminal of E6 impaired the functions of both E7 and E6.     

基于HPV16E7蛋白CTLs抗原肽的病毒样颗粒治疗性疫苗的构建

目的:构建呈递HPV16 E7 CTLs抗原表位的病毒样颗粒,并初步评价病毒样颗粒作为治疗性疫苗载体的潜能。方法:根据文献选择有效的HPV16 E7 CTLs表位,合成其正负链寡核苷酸序列,并通过退火形成双链DNA片段。将片段克隆于表达乙肝核心抗原的重组质粒p Thio His AHBc Ag,使抗原肽得以呈现于病毒样颗粒。重组菌经IPTG诱导后经SDS-PAGE鉴定目的蛋白表达。菌体破碎后经硫酸铵盐析法和蔗糖密度梯度离心进行纯化,并经高效液相凝胶过滤色谱和电镜鉴定病毒样颗粒的存在。制备的病毒样颗粒免疫接种了TC-1细胞的肿瘤模型小鼠,检测小鼠肿瘤大小。此外,在体外以抗原肽刺激脾细胞,以ELISA检测IFN-γ表达水平。结果:构建的三个重组表达质粒经酶切鉴定及测序分析证实构建正确。表达的重组蛋白大小与预期相符,并形成了病毒样颗粒。免疫小鼠后显示了抑制肿瘤增长的一定作用趋势。此外,抗原肽体外刺激促进了疫苗免疫小鼠脾细胞IFN-γ的表达,显示疫苗引起机体产生E7特异性的细胞免疫应答。结论:HBc Ag VLPs是有潜能的治疗性疫苗载体。     

Attenuated Recombinant Influenza A Virus Expressing HPV16 E6 and E7 as a Novel Therapeutic Vaccine Approach

Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types, most often HPV16 and HPV18, causes all cervical and most anal cancers, and a subset of vulvar, vaginal, penile and oropharyngeal carcinomas. Two prophylactic virus-like particle (VLPs)-based vaccines, are available that protect against vaccine type-associated persistent infection and associated disease, yet have no therapeutic effect on existing lesions or infections. We have generated recombinant live-attenuated influenza A viruses expressing the HPV16 oncogenes E6 and E7 as experimental immunotherapeutic vaccine candidates. The influenza A virus life cycle lacks DNA intermediates as important safety feature. Different serotypes were generated to ensure efficient prime and boost immunizations. The immune response to vaccination in C57BL/6 mice was characterized by peptide ELISA and IFN-γ ELISpot, demonstrating induction of cell-mediated immunity to HPV16 E6 and E7 oncoproteins. Prophylactic and therapeutic vaccine efficacy was analyzed in the murine HPV16-positive TC-1 tumor challenge model. Subcutaneous (s.c.) prime and boost vaccinations of mice with recombinant influenza A serotypes H1N1 and H3N2, followed by challenge with TC-1 cells resulted in complete protection or significantly reduced tumor growth as compared to control animals. In a therapeutic setting, s.c. vaccination of mice with established TC-1 tumors decelerated tumor growth and significantly prolonged survival. Importantly, intralesional vaccine administration induced complete tumor regression in 25% of animals, and significantly reduced tumor growth in 50% of mice. These results suggest recombinant E6E7 influenza viruses as a promising new approach for the development of a therapeutic vaccine against HPV-induced disease.     

Design,Immune Responses and Anti-Tumor Potential of an HPV16 E6E7 Multi-Epitope Vaccine

Cervical cancer is a common type of cancer among women worldwide and infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPVs) types represents the major risk factor for the etiopathogenesis of the disease. HPV-16 is the most frequently identified HPV type in cervical lesions and expression of E6 and E7 oncoproteins is required for the uncontrolled cellular proliferation. In the present study we report the design and experimental testing of a recombinant multi-epitope protein containing immunogenic epitopes of HPV-16 E6 and E7. Tumor preventive assays, based on the engraftment of TC-1 cells in mice, showed that the E6E7 multi-epitope protein induced a full preventive anti-tumor protection in wild-type mice, as well as in mice deficient in expression of CD4⁺ T cells and TLR4 receptor. Nonetheless, no anti-tumor protection was observed in mice deficient in CD8⁺ T cells. Also, the vaccine promoted high activation of E6/E7-specific T cells and in a therapeutic-approach, E6E7 protein conferred full anti-tumor protection in mice. These results show a potential use of this E6E7 multi-epitope antigen as a new and promising antigen for the development of a therapeutic vaccine against tumors induced by HPV.     

Induction of senescence-like state and suppression of telomerase activity through inhibition of HPV E6/E7 gene expression in cells immortalized by HPV16 DNA

The E6 and E7 oncoproteins of human papillomavirus (HPV) play a major role in the development of cervical carcinoma. In this study, a recombinant adenovirus that expresses the bovine papillomavirus (BPV) E2, which has been shown to inhibit HPV early gene expression, was delivered to two HPV-immortalized cell lines as well as CaSki, a cervical carcinoma cell line. We tested whether the carcinoma and the immortal cells were equally affected by the expression of BPV E2. In all cell lines, BPV E2-mediated inhibition of HPV E6/E7 expression caused a dramatic suppression of cell growth, being preceded by the activation of the p53-Rb growth-inhibitory pathway, and a decrease in hTERT mRNA expression and telomerase activity. This suggests that the HPV E6 and E7 proteins are required not only for induction of the proliferative phenotype and telomerase activity, but also for their maintenance. In both the carcinoma and the immortal lines, the number of cells with enlarged cytoplasm and senescence-associated beta-galactosidase activity, which are markers for cellular senescence, was significantly increased. These results suggest that a senescence program exists in cells immortalized by HPV DNA as well as in cervical carcinoma cells.     

Transforming Activity of a Novel Mutant of HPV16 E6E7 Fusion Gene

An optimized recombinant HPV16 E6E7 fusion gene (HPV16 ofE6E7) was constructed according to codon usage for mammalian cell expression, and a mutant of HPV16 ofE6E7 fusion gene (HPV16 omfE6E7) was generated by site-directed mutagenesis at L57G, C113R for the E6 protein and C24G, E26G for the E7 protein for HPV16 ofE6E7 [patent pending (CN 101100672)]. The HPV16 omfE6E7 gene constructed in this work not only lost the transformation capability to NIH 3T3 cells and tumorigenicity in SCID mice, but also maintain...     

Transforming activity of a novel mutant of HPV16 E6E7 fusion gene

An optimized recombinant HPV16 E6E7 fusion gene(HPV16 ofE6E7)was constructed according to codon usage for mammalian cell expression,and a mutant of HPV16 ofE6E7 fusion gene(HPV16 omfE6E7)was generated by site-directed mutagenesis at L57G,C113R for the E6 protein and C24G,E26G for the E7 protein for HPV16 ofE6E7 [patent pending(CN 101100672)].The HPV16 omfE6E7 gene constructed in this work not only lost the transformation capability to NIH 3T3 cells and tumorigenicity in SCID mice,but also maintained very good stability and antigenicity.These results suggests that the HPV16 omfE6E7 gene should undergo further study for application as a safe antigen-specific therapeutic vaccine for HPV16-associated tumors.     

Generation of a human melanocyte cell line by introduction of HPV16 E6 and E7 genes

Summary Availability of a standard human melanocyte cell line with unlimited growth potential and otherwise normal melanocytic properties will greatly facilitate research in melanocyte biology and in vitro studies on the etiology of pigmentary disorders and melanoma. Using a retroviral vector, E6 and E7 open reading frames of human papilloma virus type 16 (HPV 16) have been introduced into cultured normal human melanocytes. Cells selected by increased resistance to geneticin conveyed by the vector and expressing E6E7 mRNA have been cloned to ensure genetic homogeneity. Since their establishment as primary cells, cloned PIG1 cells have undergone more than twice the amount of population doublings of senescent parental cells. Moreover, in passage numbers when parental cells had become senescent, proliferation of clonal cells was retained at levels exceeding those of normal human melanocytes in third passage by 100%. Further characterization has revealed that the cells remain dependent on tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate (TPA) for growth and do not proliferate in soft agar nor form tumors in nude mice. The antigenic profile of the cells was slightly altered as compared to parental cells, but was incomparable to that of M14 melanoma cells. Importantly, PIG1 cells contain more melanin pigment than parental cells.     

Expression,Polyubiquitination, and Therapeutic Potential of Recombinant E6E7 from HPV16 Antigens Fused to Ubiquitin

Ubiquitin–proteasome system plays an essential role in the immune response due to its involvement in the antigen generation and presentation to CD8⁺ T cells. Hereby, ubiquitin fused to antigens has been explored as an immunotherapeutic strategy that requires the activation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Here we propose to apply this ubiquitin fusion approach to a recombinant vaccine against human papillomavirus 16-infected cells. E6E7 multi-epitope antigen was fused genetically at its N- or C-terminal end to ubiquitin and expressed in Escherichia coli as inclusion bodies. The antigens were solubilized using urea and purified by nickel affinity chromatography in denatured condition. Fusion of ubiquitin to E6E7 resulted in marked polyubiquitination in vitro mainly when fused to the E6E7 N-terminal. When tested in a therapeutic scenario, the fusion of ubiquitin to E6E7 reinforced the anti-tumor protection and increased the E6/E7-specific cellular immune responses. Present results encourage the investigation of the adjuvant potential of the ubiquitin fusion to recombinant vaccines requiring CD8⁺ T cells.     

Characterization of human myocardial fibroblasts immortalized by HPV16 E6--E7 genes

SMN, the affected protein in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), is a cytoplasmic protein that also occurs in nuclear structures called "gems" and is involved in snRNP maturation. Coilin-p80 is a marker protein for nuclear Cajal bodies (coiled bodies; CBs) which are also involved in snRNP maturation, storage or transport. We now show that gems and CBs are present in all fetal tissues, even those that lack gems/CBs in the adult. Most gems and CBs occur as separate nuclear structures in fetal tissues, but their colocalization increases with fetal age and is almost complete in the adult. In adult tissues, up to half of all gems/CBs are inside the nucleolus, whereas in cultured cells they are almost exclusively nucleoplasmic. The nucleolar SMN is often more diffusely distributed, compared with nucleoplasmic gems. Up to 30% of cells in fetal tissues have SMN distributed throughout the nucleolus, instead of forming gems in the nucleoplasm. The results suggest a function for gems distinct from Cajal bodies in fetal nuclei and a nucleolar function for SMN. Spinal cord, the affected tissue in SMA, behaves differently in several respects. In both fetal and adult motor neurons, many gems/CBs occur as larger bodies closely associated with the nucleolar perimeter. Uniquely in motor neurons, gems/CBs are more numerous in adult than in fetal stages and colocalization of gems and CBs occurs earlier in development. These unusual features of motor neurons may relate to their special sensitivity to reduced SMN levels in SMA patients.     

ErbB-2 Receptor Cooperates with E6/E7 Oncoproteins of HPV Type 16 in Breast Tumorigenesis

The ErbB-2 receptor is overexpressed in roughly 30% of human breast cancers. Moreover, approximately 50% of breast cancers are positive for high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs), specifically types 16 and 18. Recently, we reported that ErbB-2 cooperates with E6/E7 oncoproteins of HPV type 16 to induce neoplastic transformation of human normal oral epithelial cells. We also demonstrated that E6/E7 of HPV type 16 converts non-invasive breast cancer cells to an invasive form. In order to investigate the effect of ErbB-2/E6/E7 cooperation in breast carcinogenesis, we generated double transgenic mice carrying ErbB-2 and E6/E7 of HPV type 16 under mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) and human keratin 14 promoters, respectively. Within six months, these double transgenic mice developed large and extensive invasive breast cancer in comparison to ErbB-2 or E6/E7 singly transgenic mice. Histological analysis of ErbB-2/E6/E7 transgenic mice tumors showed the presence of invasive breast carcinomas. However, the breast tissues from ErbB-2 and E6/E7 transgenic mice showed only in-situ cancer and normal mammary phenotype, respectively. In parallel, we examined the cooperation effect of ErbB-2 and E6/E7 in the human breast cancer cell line, BT20; in comparison to ErbB-2 and E6/E7 alone as well as wild type cells, we found that ErbB 2/E6/E7 together stimulate colony formation and cell migration in the BT20 cell line. Furthermore, we found that β-catenin is constitutively phosphorylated by c-Src and consequently trans-located to the nucleus in ErbB-2/E6/E7-breast cancer cells. These findings provide evidence that the ErbB-2 receptor cooperates with high-risk HPVs in breast tumorigenesis via β-catenin activation.     

K14和CMV启动子驱动裸鼠体内HPV16 E6/E7基因表达的差异

人乳头瘤病毒（human papillomavirus,HPV）是一种无包膜的环状闭合双链DNA病毒,具有严格的嗜人组织的特性．为探讨不同启动子驱动HPV E6/E7癌蛋白在裸鼠体内不同组织的表达效率,构建了带有角蛋白(K14)启动子和带有巨细胞病毒（CMV）启动子的E6/E7腺病毒载体（pAd-K14-E6/E7和pAd-CMV-E6/E7）,pAd-K14-E6/E7和pAd-CMV-6/E7、以及作为对照的重组腺病毒空载体pAdtrack- K14和pAd-CMV同源重组后,分别在293细胞中包装,收集重组病毒Ad-K14-E6/E7 、Ad-CMV-E6/E7、Adtrack-K14和Ad-CMV,通过尾缘静脉注射到随机分组的裸鼠体内,并每d向裸鼠腹腔注射0.05 mg雌激素．采用RT-PCR和Western 免疫印迹检测不同实验组E6/E7 mRNA 和蛋白表达水平,免疫组化法检测P53和Bcl-2蛋白表达．结果显示,注射病毒Ad-K14-E6/E7（实验组1）裸鼠子宫体中E6/E7 mRNA、E6蛋白质、P53和Bcl-2蛋白高表达,而其它组织中低表达;注射病毒Ad-CMV-E6/E7（实验组2）裸鼠各组织E6/E7　mRNA、E6蛋白质、P53和Bcl-2蛋白均低表达．研究表明,在裸鼠体内角蛋白K14启动子可以调控E6/E7在子宫体中表达,CMV启动子未能诱导E6/E7在子宫体中表达．