Inactivation of both the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor and p21 by the human papillomavirus type 16 E7 oncoprotein is necessary to inhibit cell cycle arrest in human epithelial cells.

The human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 E7 oncoprotein must inactivate the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor (Rb) pathway to bypass G(1) arrest. However, E7 C-terminal mutants that were able to inactivate Rb were unable to bypass DNA damage-induced G(1) arrest and keratinocyte senescence, suggesting that the E7 C terminus may target additional G(1) regulators. The E7 C-terminal mutant proteins E7 CVQ68-70AAA and E7 Delta79-83 (deletion of positions 79 through 83) were further tested in several models of cell cycle arrest associated with elevated levels of p21. C-terminal mutations rendered E7 unable to induce S phase and endoreduplication in differentiated keratinocytes and rendered it less efficient in delaying senescence of human mammary epithelial cells. Interestingly, when cell cycle arrest was induced with a peptide form of p21, the E7 C-terminal mutants were deficient in overcoming arrest, whereas a mutant defective in Rb binding was competent in inhibiting G(1) arrest. These results suggest that the inactivation of both p21 and Rb by E7 contributes to subversion of cell cycle control in normal human epithelia but that neither p21 nor Rb inactivation alone is sufficient.