Abstract
Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer death in women. Human papillomavirus (HPV16) E6/E7 heterogenous expression in C33A cells increased the mRNA and protein levels of KIF2A, while siRNA deletion of endogenous E6/E7 reduced the mRNA and protein levels of KIF2A in SiHa cells. KIF2A promoted cell migration and invasion, and regulated the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related proteins in C33A and SiHa cells. The exogenous expression of E6/E7 in C33A cells increased the phosphorylation of Akt, ERK, and JNK. However, Akt (API-2) and ERK (PD98059) inhibitors had no effect on the increase in KIF2A expression induced by E6/E7, while JNK inhibitors (JNK-IN-8 and SP600125) blocked the increase in KIF2A expression induced by E6/E7. The exogenous expression of E6/E7 increased the levels of transcription factor c-Jun, which is the classic substrate of JNK. Knockdown of c-Jun reduced the increase in KIF2A expression induced by E6/E7. In summary, KIF2A plays a key role in the motility and metastasis of cervical cancer. HPV16 E6/E7 can increase the levels of transcription factor c-Jun by activating the JNK signal, thereby up-regulating the transcriptional expression of KIF2A.