HPV

_Clinically presents acutely as warts or chronically as carcinomas (cervical, squamous cell, laryngeal)**.

HPV 1-4

HPV 6 and 11

HPV 16 and 18

_Transmission occurs by direct and indirect contact (skin and sexual contact). HPV infects squamous epithelial cells in epidermis or mucous membranes causing a lysogenic and lytic cycle.

Lysogenic cycle

_In the lysogenic cycle, HPV infects basal cells and attempt to replicate. Basal cell environment disfavors viral replication. This promotes benign basal cell proliferation causing cell growth and vacuolization that clinically manifests as warts.

As the host cell undergoes the normal differentiation, the virus undergoes different parts of its life cycle. When the virus initially enters host basal cells, it cannot replicate until the cell matures into a keratinocyte. The virus has to wait until mitosis occurs in order to use the host's replication machinery.

Lytic cycle

_HPV 16 and HPV 18 have two viral oncoproteins:

  • E6, which inhibits the function of p53

  • E7, which inhibits the function of Rb

Loss of p53 and Rb allow for cell cycle progression in the presence of DNA damage, thereby increasing the likelihood of tumorigenesis.

The virus expresses the early proteins--E6, and E7--in the lower spinous layers (earlier in the infection). Normally, as epithelial cells mature, the cell cycle is halted as part of forming a protective barrier; however, terminal differentiation is hindered by E7 and E6. This has most likely evolved to allow the host cell to continue to reproduce viruses.

_If there is significant DNA damage, p53 stimulates production of p21. p21 binds and inhibits all cyclin-CDK complexes causing arrest of cell cycle until DNA damage is repaired. Mutations in p53 are associated with most cancers.

_The hypophosphorylated Rb inhibits E2F activity and G1-to-S progression. Loss of function Rb mutations are associated with Retinoblastoma and Osteosarcoma.The activated Cyclin D-CDK4/6 complex phosphorylates Rb tumor suppressor gene. Phosphorylated Rb releases E2F transcription factor. E2F activates its target genes, including Cyclin D and other Cyclins (E and A), which are needed for progression of the cell cycle.

Treatment

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