Prof. Dr. Felix Hoppe-Seyler

Targeted killing of HPV-positive cancer cells.

We are interested in investigating the role of viruses for human cancer (Hoppe-Seyler & Hoppe-Seyler, Int. J. Cancer, 2011). We study molecular mechanisms of viral carcinogenesis, with a focus on human papillomaviruses (HPVs). Understanding these mechanisms is a pre-requisite for the development of novel, rationally designed therapeutic strategies against tumor virus-induced cancers. Moreover, we believe that this knowledge is also informative for general aspects of carcinogenesis, since tumor viruses attack cellular pathways which are altered in many cancer forms by alternative means.

Ongoing projects deal with basic and - in cooperation with clinical partners - translational aspects of the following topics:

1) Targeted inhibition of the HPV E6 oncoprotein.
We have generated a small peptide that specifically blocks E6 in HPV-positive cancer cells, leading to apoptotic cell death. Current work aims at identifying therapeutically useful small molecules with the same activity.

2) Identification of cellular target genes for oncogenic HPVs (e.g. BTG2, EZH2).
Current work analyzes their role for viral carcinogenesis and also their significance for cancers that are not known to be associated with viruses (e.g. colon, bladder, renal cancer).

3) Intercellular communication of virally-transformed cells.
Ongoing work studies the influence of HPVs on the composition of exosomes which serve as intercellular shuttles for proteins, mRNAs, and miRNAs.