Viruses have developed sophisticated strategies to evade host defenses and facilitate the production and spread of progeny. In this study, we show that transfection of the human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 E6 oncogene into HCT116 cells provides protection from tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL)-mediated apoptosis. Additionally, we demonstrate that the protection provided by E6 is dose-dependent because higher levels of E6 provide greater protection. The mechanism underlying this protection involves a rapid reduction in the protein levels of both Fasassociated death domain (FADD) and procaspase 8, which results in suppression of the activation of caspases 8, 3 and 2. Interestingly, E6 does not interfere with the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway even though HCT116 cells have been classified as type II cells with regard to TRAIL signaling. These findings demonstrate that E6 has a more generalized effect on signaling by death ligands than was previously thought and support the notion that E6 can utilize p53-independent mechanisms to modulate cell survival.

The regulation of host-mediated apoptosis by the E6 and E7 oncoproteins has garnered attention because it is believed to be an important strategy employed by high-risk (HR)-human papillomaviruses (HPVs) to evade immune surveillance. Additionally, the revelation that E5 can protect cells from tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-mediated apoptosis suggests that it may also play a role in undermining host defense mechanisms. Cellular transformation is an unintended consequence of persistent infection by HR-HPVs, and it is therefore likely that the primary function of E5, E6 and E7 is to regulate cell survival throughout the normal viral life cycle in order to ensure viral replication and promote the spread of progeny. The purpose of this article is to review the literature on the regulation of host-mediated apoptosis by E5, E6 and E7 that describes the mechanisms employed by HR-HPVs to persist in the host and create the conditions necessary for cellular transformation.

High-risk strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) such as HPV type 16 (HPV16) and HPV18 are causative agents of most human cervical carcinomas. E6, one of the oncogenes encoded by HPV16, possesses a number of biological and transforming functions. We have previously shown that the binding of E6 to host apoptotic proteins such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) R1, the adaptor protein FADD, and procaspase 8 results in a significant modification of the normal flow of apoptotic events. For example, E6 can bind to and accelerate the degradation of FADD. In addition, full-length E6 binds to the TNF R1 death domain and can also bind to and accelerate the degradation of procaspase 8. In contrast, the binding of small splice isoforms known as E6* results in the stabilization of procaspase 8. In this report, we propose a model for the ability of HPV16 E6 to both sensitize and protect cells from TNF as well as to protect cells from Fas. We demonstrate that both the level of E6 expression and the ratio between full-length E6 and E6* are important factors in the modification of the host extrinsic apoptotic pathways and show that at high levels of E6 expression, the further sensitization of U2OS, NOK, and Ca Ski cells to TNF-mediated apoptosis is most likely due to the formation of a pseudo-death-inducing signaling complex structure that includes complexes of E6 proteins.High-risk strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) such as HPV type 16 (HPV16) and HPV18, are the causative agents of most cases of human cervical carcinomas (23). Two oncogenes encoded by these viruses, E6 and E7, are best known for their ability to inactivate the tumor suppressors p53 and Rb, respectively (34). HPV16 E6 (E6) mediates a rapid, ubiquitin-dependent degradation of the tumor suppressor p53, and the resulting loss of p53 clearly contributes to the oncogenic potential of high-risk HPVs. In addition to accelerating the degradation of p53, E6 possesses numerous other biological and transforming activities (28). These activities result from the binding of E6 to cellular proteins that are involved in a number of cellular functions such as the regulation of transcription and DNA replication, epithelial organization and differentiation, cell-cell adhesion, polarity, proliferation control, DNA repair, apoptosis, and immune evasion (36).One important host response to viral infection is the activation of one or more apoptotic pathways, a process that is often carried out through members of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily. To overcome the elimination of infected cells through apoptosis, viruses have developed numerous ways to modify the normal course of apoptotic events (reviewed in references 12 and 14). Apoptosis mediated by members of the TNF superfamily is initiated by the binding of ligands to their corresponding receptors. This interaction leads to the recruitment of adaptor proteins and initiator caspases to the death domain (DD) of receptors, resulting in the formation of a death-inducing signaling complex (DISC). Following DISC formation, the c...

TRAIL induces apoptosis in many malignant cell types. In this study, we used the human papilloma virus (HPV) 16 E6 protein as a molecular tool to probe the TRAIL pathway in HCT116 colon carcinoma cells and U2OS osteosarcoma cells. Intriguingly, we found that while E6 protected HCT116 cells from TRAIL, U2OS cells expressing E6 remained sensitive to TRAIL. Furthermore, silencing FADD and procaspase-8 expression with siRNA did not prevent TRAIL-induced apoptosis in U2OS cells. However, siBid provided significant protection from TRAIL, and the cleavage kinetics of Bid and caspase-8 revealed that Bid was cleaved prior to the activation of caspase-8. Cathepsin B activity in U2OS cells was significantly activated shortly after exposure to TRAIL, and the cathepsin B inhibitor, CA074Me, inhibited both TRAIL- and anti-DR5-mediated apoptosis and delayed the cleavage of Bid. These findings suggest that TRAIL activates a pathway dependent on Bid, but largely independent of FADD and caspase-8, in U2OS cells.