Beta HPV8 E6 Induces Micronuclei Formation and Promotes Chromothripsis

Abstract

Cutaneous beta genus human papillomaviruses (β-HPV) are suspected to promote the development of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) by destabilizing the host genome. Multiple studies have established the genome destabilizing capacities of β-HPV proteins E6 and E7 as a co-factor with UV. However, the E6 protein from β-HPV8 (HPV8 E6) induces tumors in mice without UV exposure. Here, we examined a UV-independent mechanism of HPV8 E6-induced genome destabilization. We showed that HPV8 E6 reduced the abundance of anaphase bridge resolving helicase, Bloom syndrome protein (BLM). The diminished BLM was associated with increased segregation errors and micronuclei. These HPV8 E6-induced micronuclei had disordered micronuclear envelopes yet retained replication and transcription competence. HPV8 E6 decreased antiproliferative responses to micronuclei and time-lapse imaging revealed HPV8 E6 promoted cells with micronuclei to complete mitosis. Finally, whole genome sequencing revealed that HPV8 E6 induced chromothripsis in 9 chromosomes. These data provide insight into mechanisms by which HPV8 E6-induces genome instability independent of UV exposure.