MmuPV1 E6 induces cell proliferation and other hallmarks of cancer.

The E6 protein encoded by the murine papillomavirus, MmuPV1, is essential for MmuPV1 induced skin disease. We show that MmuPV1 E6 has additional important oncogenic activities in its natural host cells, mouse keratinocytes, including increasing proliferation, overcoming density mediated growth arrest, and proliferation under conditions of limited supply of growth factors.