A 24-year-old woman comes to the physician for a routine health maintenance examination. She feels well. Menses occur at regular 28-day intervals and last for 3-5 days, with normal flow. They are occasionally accompanied by pain. Three years ago, she was diagnosed with chlamydial cervicitis and treated with doxycycline. She has been sexually active with multiple partners since the age of 18 years. She regularly uses condoms for contraception. She drinks 2-3 beers on weekends and smokes half a pack of cigarettes daily. Vital signs are within normal limits. Speculum examination reveals an ulcerative lesion at the external cervical os. Cervical biopsy shows malignant squamous cells invading the underlying stroma. Further analysis of the malignant cells reveals that a double-stranded DNA virus, which encodes several proteins including E6 and E7, has integrated into the host genome. Which of the following is the most likely mechanism by which these viral proteins are involved in this patient's condition?

Question

A 24-year-old woman comes to the physician for a routine health maintenance examination. She feels well. Menses occur at regular 28-day intervals and last for 3-5 days, with normal flow. They are occasionally accompanied by pain. Three years ago, she was diagnosed with chlamydial cervicitis and treated with doxycycline. She has been sexually active with multiple partners since the age of 18 years. She regularly uses condoms for contraception. She drinks 2-3 beers on weekends and smokes half a pack of cigarettes daily. Vital signs are within normal limits. Speculum examination reveals an ulcerative lesion at the external cervical os.  Cervical biopsy shows malignant squamous cells invading the underlying stroma.  Further analysis of the malignant cells reveals that a double-stranded DNA virus, which encodes several proteins including E6 and E7, has integrated into the host genome.  Which of the following is the most likely mechanism by which these viral proteins are involved in this patient's condition?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: Human papillomavirus (HPV) oncogenicity relies on the inhibitory effects of viral proteins E6 and E7 on cell cycle regulatory proteins p53 and Rb.  This allows cells infected with HPV to undergo unchecked cellular proliferation and evasion of apoptosis, promoting genomic instability and malignant transformation.

A 24-Year-Old Woman Comes to the Physician for a Routine