PROJECT OVERVIEW
The human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of 7 viruses with proven oncogenic effects in humans. It is estimated that 99% of cervical cancer cases coexist with HPV. E6 and E7 proteins are one of key triggers of oncogenesis via p53 protein ubiquitination and degradation. Stimulation of E6 and E7 protein expression causes many epigenetic changes in the cell, because it influences the level of DNA methyltransferases, enzymes modifying histones and complexes rebuilding the chromatin structure. It is recently emphasized that epigenetics plays a huge role in the process of cancer formation. Epigenetic changes are associated with changes in molecular structures in cellular structrues, therefore spectroscopy is employed to investigate these alterations. Both cervical cells obtained from patients and cultured cells, [non-infected HPV (HT-3 or C33A), healthy human keratinocytes and cells transfused with plasmid from HPV-16] are analyzed.