CRISPR/Cas9-based inactivation of human papillomavirus oncogenes E6 or E7 induces senescence in cervical cancer cells.

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) such as HPV16 and HPV18 can cause cancers of the cervix, anogenital and oropharyngeal sites. Continuous expression of the HPV oncoproteins E6 and E7 are essential for transformation and maintenance of cancer cells. Therefore, therapeutic targeting of E6 or E7 genes can potentially treat HPV-related cancers. Here we report that CRISPR/Cas9-based knockout of E6 or E7 can trigger cellular senescence in HPV18 immortalized HeLa cells. Specifically, E6 or E7-inactivated HeLa cells exhibited characteristic senescence markers like enlarged cell surface area, increased β-galactosidase expression and loss of lamin B1. Since E6 and E7 are bicistronic transcripts, inactivation of HPV18 E6 resulted in knockout of both E6 and E7 and increasing levels of p53/p21 and pRb/p21, respectively. Knockout of HPV18 E7 resulted in decreased E6 expression with activation of pRb/p21 pathway. Taken together, our study demonstrates cellular senescence as an alternative outcome of HPV oncogene inactivation by CRISPR/Cas9.