Objective   To investigate the transfection of human papilloma virus types 16E6 gene on the proliferation and apoptosis of cervical carcinoma cell line C33A.    Methods   Plasmid pcDNA3-HPV16E6 was stably transfected into C33A cells by liposome

and the expression of HPV16E6 mRNA and protein in the transfected ce

lls

the cells transfected with blank vector and the cells without transfection were identified by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. The growth

proliferation and cell cycles of the 3 kinds of C33A cells were by cell growth curve plotting and flow cytometry analysis.    Results   C33A cells were transfected stably by liposome with plasmid pcDNA3-HPV16E6 (C33A-E6 cells)and plasmid pcDNA3 (C33A-P cells). The growth of C33A-E6 cells was more rapid than those of C33A-P and C33A cells (P0.05)

indicating that HPV16E6 promoted the growth and proliferation of C33A cells. In C33A-E6 cells

the percentage of the cells at G

0

/G

1

phase (39.3%) were significantly lower than those of C33A-P cells (53.7%) and C33A cells (55.4%) (P0.01). But the percentage of the cells at S phase (38.3%) and at G

2

/M phase (32.9%) were distinctly higher than those of C33A-P cells (29.4% and 17.0%) and C33A cells (28.0% and 16.6%) (P0.0l). However

there was significantly difference between C33A-P cells and C33A cells (P0.05).    Conclusion   HPV16E6 is involved in the cell cycle probably through some signal pathways

and promotes cell division and proliferation of C33A cells.