HPV16-E6 Oncoprotein Activates TGF- and Wnt/-Catenin Pathways in the Epithelium-Mesenchymal Transition of Cataracts in a Transgenic Mouse Model

Figure 1

Transgenic mice expressing the human papillomavirus E6 oncogene develop cataracts. (a) Representative images of NT and K14E6 transgenic eyes. 2-month-old K14E6 mice expressing the HPV16-E6 oncoprotein develop cataracts (white arrows) in comparison with NT mice. (b) Genetic map of the K14E6 transgene construction. Mice expressing the E6 oncogene contain a DNA sequence that overlaps the HPV16-E6 and E7 ORFs spanning nucleotides 79–883 under the control of the human keratin 14 promoter (K14). Transgenic mice have a translational termination linker (TTL) in the 3′ E7 gene precluding E7 translation. (c) Presence of the viral E6 oncogene in K14E6 transgenic mice. Amplification control of p21/WAF1 DNA sequence in NT and K14E6 mice was used to ensure the integrity of genomic DNA samples. Negative control (Neg): PCR reaction without DNA. (d) Endpoint RT-PCR determined the expression of the HPV16-E6 transcript in the mouse lens. Expression control (GAPDH mRNA). Negative control (Neg): PCR reaction without cDNA. (e) Expression of the HPV16-E6 oncoprotein by immunohistochemistry. White arrows indicate zones of high E6 expression. Magnifications: (e) (10x, inset: 20x).

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