Differential regulation of papilloma virus early gene expression in transformed fibroblasts and carcinoma cell lines.

Treatment of bovine papilloma virus (BPV) 1-transformed mouse fibroblasts with cycloheximide led to a 10-fold increase in the amount of viral transcripts, after as little as 1 h of protein synthesis inhibition. Northern blots revealed no qualitative changes in the RNA pattern. Nuclear run-on experiments showed about a 7-fold increase in specific transcriptional activity after cycloheximide treatment. The half-life of BPV1 mRNA was twice as long as in untreated controls. These results indicate that both RNA synthesis and degradation of viral RNA are controlled by labile proteins. Cycloheximide stimulation turned out to be independent of the BPV1 E2 gene activity which enhances viral transcription. Cycloheximide treatment had no effect on the amount of human papilloma virus (HPV) 18 transcripts in cervical carcinoma derived HeLa and C4-1 cells. Transcription of HPV16 in the cervical carcinoma line SiHa was likewise unaffected. The differential regulation of transcription in transformed fibroblasts and cancer-derived cells, and the significance for malignant conversion are discussed.