Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) increases the expression levels of MDM2 and MDM4 genes in HeLa cells: a review on MDM2 and MDM4 roles in cancer

Abstract

Abstract Objective Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) is a key viral protein expressed in all latency phases and EBV-associated tumors. It can modulate the expression of various host and viral genes. This study aimed to investigate the impact of EBNA1 on the expression levels of two cellular genes involved in p53 pathway regulation—MDM2 and MDM4—in HeLa cells. This investigation was conducted as part of our broader research on EBV-related oncogenic mechanisms. Results HeLa cells were transfected with either an EBNA1-expressing plasmid or a control plasmid. Gene expression levels of MDM2 and MDM4 were analyzed using real-time PCR. The results demonstrated a statistically significant increase in MDM4 expression in EBNA1-transfected cells compared to controls (p = 0.028). Although MDM2 expression was also elevated, the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.11). These findings suggest that EBNA1 may play a role in cervical cancer development by upregulating genes that inhibit p53 tumor suppressor activity.