Investigating the Expression of SYCP2 in HPV associated Cancers

High risk Human papillomavirus infections are linked to highly prevalent cancers; a consequence of aborted viral cycles and deregulation of HPV oncogenes E6 and E7. In many cases of cancer, meiotic genes can be seen upregulated, activation of meiotic genes in normal tissue can have detrimental effects due to the unique characteristics of gametogenesis that if observed in normal cells can be oncogenic. The gene of interest investigated in this project is SYCP2; it is a meiosis specific gene that is a part of the synaptonemal complex that links homologous chromosomes and facilitates synapsis. Recent studies showed it is strongly upregulated in HPV associated cancers when it’s normal expression should be restricted to testis, it has been linked to what is called Cancer Testis Antigens (CTA) which are a group of genes that has been associated to tumours of different histological origins whose normal expression is restricted to testes. This gene is of interest because CTAs hold unique therapeutic potential as biomarkers or immunotherapeutics. It has been documented that SYCP2 is upregulated, however, existing data thus far only shows the mRNA level. In order to explore any therapeutic potential of this gene its expression profile needs to be investigated, and its possible correlation to viral infection or oncogenesis. In this project we aim to investigate if the large increase in SYCP2 transcript levels in HPV16+ cancers is paralleled by a similar increase in SYCP2 protein levels. This study has looked into the protein expression of SYCP2 that if further investigated, could form a useful model in understanding HPV infection and the possible role SYCP2 has in aiding oncogenesis.