High-risk human papillomavirus E7 affects host keratinocyte DNA methylation

To investigate the extent of host methylome dysregulation by the human papillomavirus (HPV) oncoprotein E7, we performed methylome array analysis on normal immortalized keratinocytes from skin (NIKS), NIKS cells maintaining the HPV16 or 18 episomes (NIKS-16, NIKS-18, respectively), and NIKS cells maintaining the HPV-16 episome deficient in E7 expression (NIKS-16ΔE7). NIKS cells and variants were cultured and harvested at three separate passages (n= 3). Genomic DNA was isolated, bisultife converted and hybridized to illumina HumanMethylation 450 BeadChips for methylation analysis. NIKS cells are HPV-negative control.