The E6/E7 Oncogenes of Human Papillomavirus and Estradiol Regulate Hedgehog Signaling Activity in a Murine Model of Cervical Cancer

The document from August 1, 2019, presents a study that explored the effects of human papillomavirus (HPV) E6/E7 oncogenes and estradiol on the hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway in a murine model of cervical cancer. The study demonstrated that both E6/E7 oncogenes and estradiol increased Hh signaling, which correlated with increased growth of cervical epithelium and skin. The use of itraconazole (ITC), a hedgehog pathway inhibitor, was found to reduce the proliferation of HeLa cells and decrease cervical epithelium growth and dysplasia in mice, although it did not affect Hh signaling. The study involved a small number of mice (n=2 for each transgenic mouse group treated with estradiol for 50 days). These findings suggest that targeting the Hh signaling pathway could be a potential strategy for cervical cancer treatment, and that ITC may be effective in reducing cervical growth through mechanisms other than Hh signaling inhibition.