FIG 9.

p53 transcriptional activity controls the phosphorylation of E6 upon E6AP knockdown. (A) siRNAs targeting E6AP, E6/E7, and luciferase control were transfected into HeLa cells, followed by incubation for 24 h, after which p53 inhibitor α-pifithrin (30 μM), or DMSO as control, was added to the cells. Cells were then further incubated for 48 h, after which they were harvested and analyzed by Western blotting using antibodies specific to pE6 and total E6; α-tubulin was used as a control. (B) The histogram shows relative statistical significance of changes in pE6 levels in the presence of p53 inhibitor and absence of E6AP from at least three independent experiments with a P value of <0.05 (*); ns, nonsignificant.