Structural basis for recognition of the tumor suppressor protein PTPN14 by the oncoprotein E7 of human papillomavirus

PLoS Biol. 2019 Jul 19;17(7):e3000367. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000367. eCollection 2019 Jul.

Abstract

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are causative agents of various diseases associated with cellular hyperproliferation, including cervical cancer, one of the most prevalent tumors in women. E7 is one of the two HPV-encoded oncoproteins and directs recruitment and subsequent degradation of tumor-suppressive proteins such as retinoblastoma protein (pRb) via its LxCxE motif. E7 also triggers tumorigenesis in a pRb-independent pathway through its C-terminal domain, which has yet been largely undetermined, with a lack of structural information in a complex form with a host protein. Herein, we present the crystal structure of the E7 C-terminal domain of HPV18 belonging to the high-risk HPV genotypes bound to the catalytic domain of human nonreceptor-type protein tyrosine phosphatase 14 (PTPN14). They interact directly and potently with each other, with a dissociation constant of 18.2 nM. Ensuing structural analysis revealed the molecular basis of the PTPN14-binding specificity of E7 over other protein tyrosine phosphatases and also led to the identification of PTPN21 as a direct interacting partner of E7. Disruption of HPV18 E7 binding to PTPN14 by structure-based mutagenesis impaired E7's ability to promote keratinocyte proliferation and migration. Likewise, E7 binding-defective PTPN14 was resistant for degradation via proteasome, and it was much more effective than wild-type PTPN14 in attenuating the activity of downstream effectors of Hippo signaling and negatively regulating cell proliferation, migration, and invasion when examined in HPV18-positive HeLa cells. These results therefore demonstrated the significance and therapeutic potential of the intermolecular interaction between HPV E7 and host PTPN14 in HPV-mediated cell transformation and tumorigenesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / chemistry
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Female
  • HEK293 Cells
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Models, Molecular
  • Oncogene Proteins, Viral / chemistry
  • Oncogene Proteins, Viral / genetics
  • Oncogene Proteins, Viral / metabolism*
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Domains
  • Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Non-Receptor / chemistry
  • Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Non-Receptor / genetics
  • Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Non-Receptor / metabolism*
  • Retinoblastoma Protein / chemistry
  • Retinoblastoma Protein / genetics
  • Retinoblastoma Protein / metabolism
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / genetics
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / pathology

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • E7 protein, Human papillomavirus type 18
  • Oncogene Proteins, Viral
  • Retinoblastoma Protein
  • PTPN14 protein, human
  • Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Non-Receptor

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) (Grant number 2015M3A9B5030308; 2015M3A9D7029882; 2017M3A9G5083321) and by the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology Research Initiative Programs (to BK and E-WL). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.