| abstract |
Disclosed are methods of inducing cell death and methods of killing cells using E2 and/or E7 proteins from papillomaviruses in non-human animals. Particularly disclosed is a method of inducing apoptosis of papillomavirus negative p53 wild-type, p53 mutant- or p53 related gene positive cells comprising contacting those cells with a papillomavirus E2 protein or a functional portion or derivative thereof or supplying to the cells a DNA sequence encoding a papillomavirus E2 protein or a functional portion or derivative thereof whereby apoptosis is induced in the cells. Such cells may be cancer or carcinoma cells, and may be infected with viruses, particularly oncogenic viruses or retroviruses such as HIV, HPV, Hepatitis B, Herpesvirus B, Epstein-Barr virus or Human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 or 2. |