Journal Article

Identification of target cells of human papillomavirus 18 using squamocolumnar junction organoids

Uchino‐Mori, Mayuyo, Osuga, Yutaka, Yoshimoto, Daisuke, Sone, Kenbun, Taguchi, Ayumi, Ishii, Yoshiyuki, Tsuchimochi, Saki, Takeyama, Haruko, Hippo, Yoshitaka, Yamazaki, Miki, Kawana, Kei, Ushiku, Tetsuo, Kawata, Akira, Nakatani, Kazuma, Tanikawa, Michihiro, Oda, Katsutoshi, Ikemura, Masako, Baba, Satoshi, Matsunaga, Hiroko, Hoshi, Daisuke, Kusakabe, Misako, Toyohara, Yusuke

2024

Overview

Human papillomavirus 18 (HPV18) is a highly malignant HPV genotype among high‐risk HPVs, characterized by the difficulty of detecting it in precancerous lesions and its high prevalence in adenocarcinomas. The cellular targets and molecular mechanisms underlying its infection remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to identify the cells targeted by HPV18 and elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying HPV18 replication. Initially, we established a lentiviral vector (HPV18LCR‐GFP vector) containing the HPV18 long control region promoter located upstream of EGFP. Subsequently, HPV18LCR‐GFP vectors were transduced into patient‐derived squamocolumnar junction organoids, and the presence of GFP‐positive cells was evaluated. Single‐cell RNA sequencing of GFP‐positive and GFP‐negative cells was conducted. Differentially expressed gene analysis revealed that 169 and 484 genes were significantly upregulated in GFP‐positive and GFP‐negative cells, respectively. Pathway analysis showed that pathways associated with cell cycle and viral carcinogenesis were upregulated in GFP‐positive cells, whereas keratinization and mitophagy/autophagy‐related pathways were upregulated in GFP‐negative cells. siRNA‐mediated luciferase reporter assay and HPV18 genome replication assay validated that, among the upregulated genes, ADNP, FHL2, and NPM3 were significantly associated with the activation of the HPV18 early promoter and maintenance of the HPV18 genome. Among them, NPM3 showed substantially higher expression in HPV‐related cervical adenocarcinomas than in squamous cell carcinomas, and NPM3 knockdown of HPV18‐infected cells downregulated stem cell‐related genes. Our new experimental model allows us to identify novel genes involved in HPV18 early promoter activities. These molecules might serve as therapeutic targets in HPV18‐infected cervical lesions. Using a combination of squamocolumnar junction organoids and HPV18LCR‐GFP lentivirus, we successfully identified three molecules that may be associated with the activation of the HPV18 early promoter and maintenance of the HPV18 genome. This novel approach could be a breakthrough in identifying the mechanism of initial HPV18 replication and the cellular origin of HPV18‐associated cervical cancer.

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc,John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subject: Adenocarcinoma - genetics / ADNP protein / Autophagy / Carcinogenesis / Cell culture / Cell cycle / Cervical cancer / Female / FHL2 protein / Genomes / Genotypes / Human papillomavirus / Human papillomavirus 18 - genetics / Humans / Infections / Keratinization / long control region / Medical screening / Mitophagy / Molecular modelling / organoid culture / Organoids / Organoids - pathology / Original / Papillomavirus Infections / Replication / siRNA / squamocolumnar junction / Squamous cell carcinoma / Therapeutic targets / uterine cervical cancer / Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - genetics / Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - pathology