HPV-18 E6 enhances the interaction between EMILIN2 and SNX27 to promote WNT signaling.

This study demonstrates that HPV E6 blocks EMILIN2 inhibition of WNT1 signaling, thereby enhancing cell proliferation in HPV-positive tumor cells. This involves a novel mechanism whereby the E6 PBM actually contributes toward enhancing the interaction between SNX27 and EMILIN2, suggesting that the mode of recognition of SNX27 by E6 and EMILIN2 is different. This is the first example of the E6 PBM altering a PDZ domain-containing protein to enhance potential substrate recognition.