Tumor Suppressor Genes

Question 1

HPVs

Answer 1

Cause warts and papillomas and are associated with some specific cancers. Have specific tropism for squamous epithelial cells (particularly keratinocytes).

Question 2

Feature of a cervical carcinoma pap smear

Answer 2

Rounder cells

Hyperchromatic nuclei

Nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio is high

Abnormal contours/grooves in nuclei

Mostly non-keratinized (blue-staining)

Question 3

Low risk HPV strains

Answer 3

6 and 11

Poor p53 affinity of E6

Question 4

Koilocyte

Answer 4

A squamous epithelial cell that has been transformed by a papillomavirus. Characteristics include perinuclear clearing and abnormally shaped nucleus. Diagnostic for cervical papilloma virus infection.

Question 5

Regions of the HPV genome

Answer 5

E (for early)

and L (for late)

Question 6

HPV16 and HPV18 account for __% of cervical cancers

Answer 6

HPV16 and HPV18 account for 70% of cervical cancers

Question 7

Key risk factors for cervical carcinoma in women

Answer 7

Sexual promiscuity, an early age of onset of sexual activity, and poor sexual hygiene conditions

Question 8

Features of a healthy pap smear

Answer 8

Polygonal-shaped cells

Low nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio

Mixture of keratinized (red-staining) and non-keratinized (blue-staining) cells

A few neutrophils

Question 9

HPV E6 and E7 function

Answer 9

Question 10

Vegetative viral DNA replication and the synthesis of the capsid proteins, occur only in the____ of a papilloma

Answer 10

Vegetative viral DNA replication and the synthesis of the capsid proteins, occur only in the fully differentiated squamous epithelial cells of a papilloma

Question 11

E7 mechanism

Answer 11

Question 12

When sequencing the genome of a tumor you are likely to find:

Answer 12

Mutations that activate one or two oncogenes and loss of function mutations in several tumor suppressor genes.

Question 13

US approved HPV vaccines

Answer 13

Gardasil-9

Protects against 9 strains of HPV

Question 14

A single vaginal swave sample can be used for __ and __.

Answer 14

a single vaginal swave sample can be used for cytopathology and HPV testing

Question 15

HeLa cell line is. . .

Answer 15

An HPV18-positive cell line

Question 16

Protection from the HPV vaccine is reduced by ~___% overall if it is given to a non-naive patient.

Answer 16

Protection from the HPV vaccine is reduced by ~50% overall if it is given to a non-naive patient.

Likely partially due to proviral DNA integration

Question 17

E6 Mechanism

Answer 17

Question 18

L1 and L2

Answer 18

“Late” papilloma genes. Expressed exclusively in the terminally differentiated keratinocytes at the surface of the skin. These are the capsid proteins for HPV.