Calcium responsiveness is associated with the distal portion of the non-coding region and several cellular factors. The absence of a model for studying HPV late gene expression necessitates an alternate model be used. Because cellular genes and HPV late genes are activated during terminal differntiation the current studies with involucrin represent a model for understanding regulation of HPV late gene expression by specific transcription factors. Our cervical carcinogenesis model has also proved useful for the study of co-carcinogens. Human immunodeficieincy virus is unable to infect genital cells.
Investigations are underway to identify the gene segments contributing to the co-carcinogenesis.
Transcriptional repression in normal human keratinocytes by wild-type and mutant p53 . Return to Laboratory of Biology Home Page . Updated May 10, 1996.