HPV can infect normal epithelial cells. The human papilloma virus is housed in a protective shell made of a protein called L1. As the virus enters a cell, the L1 protein coat degrades, leading to the release of the virus’ genetic material in a cell’s nucleus. In the nucleus, the DNA from the virus is transcribed by messenger RNA, which carries viral DNA snippets to the cellular DNA, where it is integrated and eventually translated into proteins called E6 and E7, which can lead to cancer.
Archive for 2010
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Studies Uncover Associations between Human Papillomavirus and Oral Cancer
October 18, 2010, 1:42PM
NCI-supported research is contributing to the understanding of how the human papillomavirus (HPV) causes oral cancer. These research efforts are identifying factors and behaviors that may put some people at high risk for the disease. While oral cancer caused by tobacco use has declined over the past 30 years, oral cancers associated with HPV have [...]