Fig 2: FTS interacts and co-localizes with E6/E7 in cervical cancer cell lines and tissues.IP shows binding between FTS and E6/E7 in CaSki and SiHa cells (A), expression and co-localization of FTS (green color) and HPV16 E6 (brown color) in cervical cancer tissues (B), and expression and co-localization of FTS (green color) and HPV16 E7 (red color) in cervical cancer tissues (C). The co-localized area with maximum intensity is enclosed by a black box. The images of IHC shown are representative of 10 cervical cancer tissues. Black bar in (B) and (C) corresponds to 20 µm.

Fig 3: Silencing of HPV16 E6/E7 oncogenes reduces FTS level and increases tumor suppressors level in CaSki and SiHa cells.The levels of tumor suppressor proteins p53, pRb, and cell survival marker Akt and pAKT were determined by western blot in the control and E6 (A) or E7 (B) silenced groups. Actin was used as a loading control. The bar graphs adjacent to each blot represents mean ± SEM of densitometric analyses performed on the blots obtained from three independent experiments. The data has been normalized to control. Differences between the groups were calculated by unpaired, parametric, two-tailed T-tests. p-values of statistically significant differences are shown. * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01; *** p < 0.001; **** p <0.0001.

Fig 4: Co-localization of FTS and E6/E7 in FTS silenced cells.Expression of FTS and E6 in CaSki cells (A), FTS and E7 in CaSki cells (B), FTS and E6 in SiHa cells (C), and FTS and E7 in SiHa cells (D). FTS was stained with Alexa Fluor 488 (green), while E6 or E7 was stained with Alexa Fluor 594 (red). The nuclei were counter-stained with DAPI. The Pearson’s coefficient for FTS co-localization with E6/E7 revealed that the co-localization ranged between 0.834–0.938.

Fig 5: Silencing of FTS has no effect on the transcription of HPV16 E6/E7 oncogenes or vice-versa in CaSki and SiHa cells.mRNA expression of HPV16 E6/E7 was evaluated in FTS intact/silenced group (A). Further, FTS mRNA levels were also verified in HPV16 E6/E7 intact/silenced group (B). GAPDH was used as positive control.