[HPV in oncogenesis].

During recent years, advances have been made in understanding the functions of the viral oncoproteins E6 and E7. E6 und E7 code for proteins forming complexes with cellular proteins, which regulate the cell cycle. This leads to a disturbance of the physiological control mechanism and to increased proliferation of the infected cells. Enhanced expression of viral oncogenes in cells infected by genital "high risk" HPV types results in chromosomal instability and in an accumulation of mutational events. Cutaneous HPV types apparently follow other strategies to transform their host cells.