HPV oncogenes control <i>p21</i> expression at multiple levels.

Abstract

<p>E6 can repress <i>p21</i> transcription at the promoter level by inducing the degradation of the <i>p21</i> transcriptional activator p53; sustained <i>E6/E7</i> expression maintains the concentration of miR-17 family members in HPV-positive cancer cells which repress <i>p21</i> expression by targeting the <i>p21</i> mRNA; the E7 protein can directly bind to the p21 protein and inhibit its function.</p