Retinoic acid inhibition of human papillomavirus type 16-mediated transformation of human keratinocytes.

We previously reported that human keratinocytes (HKc) immortalized by transfection with human papillomavirus type 16 DNA (HKc/HPV16) are more sensitive than normal HKc to growth inhibition by retinoic acid (RA), and that RA treatment of HKc/HPV16 inhibits HPV16 E6/E7 mRNA expression (L. Pirisi et al., Cancer Res., 52: 187-193, 1992). We now demonstrate that HPV16 E2 and E5 mRNAs are also decreased by RA treatment of HKc/HPV16, indicating a general inhibition by RA on the expression of HPV16 early genes. In addition, protein levels of E6 and E7, as measured by immunofluorescence, are also decreased in a dose-dependent manner following RA treatment of HKc/HPV16. Since E6 and E7 are considered the oncogenes of HPV16, we explored the possibility that RA may interfere with HPV16-mediated immortalization of HKc. RA treatment (1 nM) of normal HKc, immediately following transfection with HPV16 DNA, inhibited immortalization by about 95%. Overall, these results provide a direct biochemical basis for a role of RA in the chemo-prevention of human papillomavirus-induced cancers.