Dysregulation of G6PD by HPV E6 exacerbates cervical cancer by activating the STAT3/PLOD2 pathway.

High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is strongly linked to the initiation and progression of cervical cancer, yet the precise molecular mechanisms involved remain partially understood. This investigation examined differential protein expression profiles in various cohorts, including healthy controls and HPV-positive cervical cancer patients with different expression levels of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), shedding light on the dysregulation of oncogenic proteins by HPV. Proteomic analysis of cervical tissues revealed specific protein signatures, indicating significant upregulation of HPV E6, G6PD, STAT3, phosphorylated STAT3, and procollagen-lysine 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase 2 (PLOD2) in HPV-infected cervical cancer tissues and cell lines.