High-risk human papillomavirus oncogenes disrupt the Fanconi anemia DNA repair pathway by impairing localization and de-ubiquitination of FancD2

PLoS Pathog. 2019 Feb 28;15(2):e1007442. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007442. eCollection 2019 Feb.

Abstract

Persistent expression of high-risk HPV oncogenes is necessary for the development of anogenital and oropharyngeal cancers. Here, we show that E6/E7 expressing cells are hypersensitive to DNA crosslinking agent cisplatin and have defects in repairing DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICL). Importantly, we elucidate how E6/E7 attenuate the Fanconi anemia (FA) DNA crosslink repair pathway. Though E6/E7 activated the pathway by increasing FancD2 monoubiquitination and foci formation, they inhibited the completion of the repair by multiple mechanisms. E6/E7 impaired FancD2 colocalization with double-strand breaks (DSB), which subsequently hindered the recruitment of the downstream protein Rad51 to DSB in E6 cells. Further, E6 expression caused delayed FancD2 de-ubiquitination, an important process for effective ICL repair. Delayed FancD2 de-ubiquitination was associated with the increased chromatin retention of FancD2 hindering USP1 de-ubiquitinating activity, and persistently activated ATR/CHK-1/pS565 FancI signaling. E6 mediated p53 degradation did not hamper the cell cycle specific process of FancD2 modifications but abrogated repair by disrupting FancD2 de-ubiquitination. Further, E6 reduced the expression and foci formation of Palb2, which is a repair protein downstream of FancD2. These findings uncover unique mechanisms by which HPV oncogenes contribute to genomic instability and the response to cisplatin therapies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Alphapapillomavirus / genetics*
  • Alphapapillomavirus / metabolism
  • Cisplatin / pharmacology
  • DNA Damage
  • DNA Repair*
  • Fanconi Anemia Complementation Group D2 Protein / metabolism*
  • Fanconi Anemia Complementation Group N Protein / metabolism
  • Fanconi Anemia Complementation Group Proteins / metabolism
  • Genomic Instability
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Oncogene Proteins, Viral / biosynthesis
  • Oncogene Proteins, Viral / genetics
  • Oncogenes
  • Papillomavirus E7 Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Papillomavirus E7 Proteins / genetics
  • Primary Cell Culture
  • Repressor Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics
  • Signal Transduction
  • Ubiquitination

Substances

  • E6 protein, Human papillomavirus type 16
  • FANCD2 protein, human
  • FANCI protein, human
  • Fanconi Anemia Complementation Group D2 Protein
  • Fanconi Anemia Complementation Group N Protein
  • Fanconi Anemia Complementation Group Proteins
  • Oncogene Proteins, Viral
  • PALB2 protein, human
  • Papillomavirus E7 Proteins
  • Repressor Proteins
  • oncogene protein E7, Human papillomavirus type 16
  • Cisplatin