HPV

Transposable elements in Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection

01/04/2023 to 31/03/2024

Transcriptome analyses of infected cells indicate that human papillomaviruses (HPV) affect the expression of transposable elements (TEs) such as endogenous retroviruses (ERVs). This includes the differential expression of TE-derived lncRNAs regulating tumor pathways. Furthermore, HPV infection induces an ERV that encodes for an envelope protein (HEMO) and is associated with cancer. We therefore hypothesize that modulation of TE activity upon HPV infection may be involved in pathogenesis and tumorigenesis. The project aims at characterizing the effect of HPV infection on TE activity and the downstream effects on tumor signaling pathways and the fate of infected cells.