CA2578402A1 - Human papilloma virus inhibition by a hairpin ribozyme - Google Patents

Abstract

Synthetic ribozymes, i.e. ribozymes including a hairpin portion, binding sites for binding to a human papilloma virus (HPV) after viral base 419 or 434, respectively, and cleavage sites for cleaving HPV virus are disclosed. The invention also includes a diagnostic assay for determining the presence of HPV-16 in tissues based on PCR amplification.

Description

HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS INHIBITION BY A HAIRPIN RIBOZYME
Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an RNA catalyst, i.e., ribozyme, which cleaves Human Papilloma virus into a fragment having a 5' hydroxyl and a fragment having a 2',3' cyclic phosphate. The products of the reaction described herein resemble those resulting from the natural hydrolysis of RNA.
Background of the Invention Papilloma viruses are small DNA viruses that induce the hyperproliferation of epithelial cells.
Approximately 70 different genotypes have been isolated from humans. Some types (1, 2, 4, and 7) are associated with benign squamous papillomas (warts; condylomas) in humans, while at least two types (16 and 18) have been associated with human neoplastic and preneoplastic lesions (DiPaolo, et al., 1993, Critical Reviews in Oncogenesis 4:337=360).
In the United States, cervical cancer affects approximately 8.6 women per 100,000 each year.
In women, HPV=16 is frequently associated with latent infections, benign and premalignant cervical lesions (dysplasiaslClN) and half of invasive cervical carcinomas. In males, HPV-16 is associated with subclinical macular or clinical papular lesions. Bowenoid papulosis of the penis resembles carcinoma in situ. Cervical cancer, which kills at least 500,000 women worldwide each year, proceeds through progressive cellular changes from benign condylomata to high-grade dysplasias ICIN before developing into an invasive cancer.
Over five billion health care dollars are spent in the United States each year on the detection and treatment of these lesions.
Epidemiology evidence indicates that up to 89% of all human and oral tumors harbor types of HPV
that are able to immortalize primary human keratinocytes and transform rodent cells. The oncagene potential of HPV appears to be associated with products from two viral genes, E6 and E7. These products are required for the acquisition and maintenance of a transformed phenotype.
The proteins encoded by these genes bind, with high affinity in neoplastic-associated types, to and neutralize the products of the Rh and p53 tumor suppressor cells (Nasseri, 1991, Virol. 194:136; Sedman, et al., 1991, J. Virol. 65:4860-4866; Smotkin and Wettstein, 1989, J. Virol. 63:1441-1447; Smotkin and Wettstein, 1986, J. Virol.
63:1441-1447; Steele, et al., 1993, Cancer Res. 53:2330; Storey, et al., 1991, Nuc. Acids Res.
19(15):4109).
The current policy in genitourinary clinics is surgery for high-grade lesions due to the lack of superior alternatives. Cervical laser ablation therapy does not in the long term influence the natural history of cervical human papillomavirus-associated diseases in women. Interferons, per se, have been disappointing insofar as acute viral infection is concerned, usually because treatment cannot be started in time.

-2-Therefore, it has been assumed that any benefit with interferons is due to antiproliferative effect and not due to antiviral.
Combination chemotherapy is also in use in cancer therapy, and cisplatin is one of the drugs of choice for cervical cancer, alone or in combination with other chemotherapy agents. However, the current success obtained with chemotherapy treatment is poor. The response rate for combination cisplatin and 5FU treatment in phase II studies in cervical cancer patients is only effective in 22% of the patients while the same combination produced an 88% response in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
The use of cytotoxic agents for cancer therapy has Gmitations because of toxic side effects and the development of multiple drug resistance. Therefore, there has been a consideration of a shift to therapy which does not involve direct toxic reaction, but which can modify the growth of tumor cells.
Current new therapeutic suggestions for treatment of HPV infections have centered on the use of antisense oligonucleotides to interrupt viral mRNA utilization (DiPaolo, et al., 1993, Critical Reviews in Oncogenesis 4:337-360; Steele, et al., 1993, Cancer Res. 53:2330; Storey, et al., 1991, Nuc. Acids Res.
19(15):4109). However, antisense therapy is limited by stoichiometric considerations (Sarver, et al., 1990, Gene Regulation and Aids, pp. 305=325).
Ribozymes are RNA molecules that possess RNA catalytic ability (see Cech, et al., U.S. Patent 4,987,071) that cleave a specific site in a target RNA. The number of RNA
molecules that are cleaved by a ribozyme is greater than the number predicted by stochiochemistry (Hampel and Tritz, 1989, Biochem.
28:4929-4933; Uhlenbeck, 1987, Nature 328:596-600). This provides an advantage over the antisense technology.
Antisense therapy has two disadvantages when compared to ribozymes: (1) by its nature, the antisense molecule is not catalytic; and (2) antisense molecules are normally longer than the ribozyme target recognition sequence. This increases the likelihood of antisense molecules having a deleterious effect on similar mRNA sequences found in the same gene family.
Ribozymes have been designed on the "hammerhead" motif (Sedman, et al., 1991, J. Viral.
65:4860-4866). However, catalytic RNAs such as those that were designed based on the "hammerhead"
model have several limitations which restrict their use in vitro and may forestall their use in vivo. For example, the temperature optimum for the reaction is 50-55 C (Haseloff and Gerlach, 1988, Nature 334:585; Uhlenbeck, 1987, Nature 328:596-600). In addition, the Km is 0.6,uM
(Uhlenbeck, 1987, Nature 328:596-600), meaning that the reaction requires high concentrations of substrate which makes it difficult, if not impossible, for the catalytic RNA to cleave low levels of target RNA
substrate such as would be encountered in vivo.

-3-A"hairpin" motif has been found to be more efficient than the "hammerhead"
motif (Hampel and Tritz, 1989, Biochem. 28:4929-4933; Hampel, et al., 1990, Nuc. Acids Res.
18:299-304). Further, hairpin ribozymes have been used to cleave targets on HIV (Ojwang, et al., 1992, Proc.
Nati. Acad. Sci. USA 89, 10802-10806; Yu, et al., 1993, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:6340-6344).
However, ribozymes for one virus generally will not cleave other virus species. Not only do the ribozymes require specific target sequences for cleavage, they require modifications in the ribozyme structure itself to be able to efficiently cleave a specific target. Currently, there is no hairpin ribozyme that has been shown to cleave HPV RNA
and no site has been identified in the HPV that is capable of cleavage by a hairpin ribozyme.
Certain molecular components have been used in the past to deliver ribozymes.
For example, retroviral vectors have been used to deliver ribozymes. Pollll promoters and retroviral vectors with Pollll promoters have also been used.
Summary of the Invention and Advantages According to the present invention, synthetic catalytic RNAs, i.e., ribozymes, including a hairpin portion, a binding site for binding to a human papilloma virus either after viral base 434 or after base 419 and a cleavage site for cleaving the virus at the binding site have been constructed.
In one aspect, the present invention comprises a synthetic ribozyme comprising a hairpin portion, a binding site for binding to a nucleotide sequence of a human papilloma virus, and a cleavage site for cleaving the sequence. The cleavage site is either a site after base 434 of the viral sequence or a site after base 419 of the viral sequence. The binding site of such a synthetic ribozyme preferably binds to one of the following sequences: 430-ACUG U*GUC CUGAAGA-444 (SEQ ID N0:2), 430-ACUG U*GUC
CUGAAGAA-445 (SE(I ID N0:3). 430-ACUG U*GUC CUGAAGAAA-446 (SEQ ID N0:41, 415-UAAC U*GUC
AAAAGC-428 (SEQ ID N0:7), 415-UAAC U*GUC AAAAGCC-429 (SEQ ID N0:8), 415-UAAC
U*GUC
AAAAGCCA-430 (SE(I ID N0:9), and 415-UAAC U'GUC AAAAGCCAC-431 (SEQ ID N0:10).
""" indicates the cleavage site. The hairpin portion of the ribozyme also preferably comprises the sequence of SEQ ID
N0:5.
In a preferred embodiment, the synthetic ribozyme binds to a nucleotide sequence of HPV-16. In this embodiment, the ribozyme preferably comprises the sequence of SEQ ID N0:6 or the sequence of SEQ
ID N0:11. In a further embodiment, the synthetic ribozyme can have the two dimensional configuration shown in Figure 2. Alternatively, the synthetic ribozyme can have the two dimensional configuration shown in Figure 6.
In another aspect of the present invention, the invention includes a vector comprising a DNA
sequence coding for the synthetic ribozyme described above. In this aspect, the DNA sequence is preferably operatively linked to expression control sequences. The vector can be, for example, a plasmid. A further

-4-aspect of the invention comprises a host cell transformed with the vector described above, wherein the host cell is capable of expressing the ribozyme from the vector.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the invention comprises a method of cleaving a human papilloma virus by means of a ribozyme. This method includes the steps of:
identifying a cleavage site on the genome of the virus;
determining the sequence on either side of the cleavage site;
constructing a hairpin synthetic ribozyme wherein a binding site on the synthetic ribozyme includes a sequence noncomplementary to the cleavage site and a binding region complementary to the sequences on either side of the cleavage site; and providing the hairpin synthetic ribozyme to the viral genome, thereby allowing the ribazyme to cleave the viral genome.
In this aspect of the invention, the providing step can be performed in vitro.
Alternatively, the providing step can be performed in vivo. The step of constructing a hairpin synthetic ribozyme can also further include incorporating the tetraloop sequence of SEQ ID N0:5 into the ribozyme.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the invention comprises a method for detecting a human papilloma virus-16 (HPV-16) in human tissue. This method comprises the steps of:
obtaining a sample of human tissue containing RNA;
exposing the RNA in the tissue to a ribozyme which binds to a nucleotide sequence from HPV-16 RNA, such that HPV-16 RNA present in the sample is cleaved by the ribozyme;
amplifying the cONA using primers complementary to: a 5' end of a full-length transcript, a fragment 5' of the ribozyme cleavage site of the full-length HPV-16 transcript, and a fragment 3' of the ribozyme cleavage site of the full-length HPV-16 transcript; and identifying DNA fragments amplified.
In the foregoing method, a larger DNA fragment represents a full-length HPV
transcript and a smaller sized DNA fragment represents the fragment resulting from ribozyme cleavage of the full-length HPV
transcript. If HPV-16 RIVA is present in the sample, a preponderance of the smaller fragment is identified relative to the larger fragment. In one embodiment, the HPV-16 RNA cleaved by the ribozyme is an E6 transcript of HPV-16. The ribozyme used in this method is preferably either RHPV434 or RHPV419, and the human tissue is a sample of cervical tissue. This method can additionally comprise the step of producing cDNA from the RNA present in the sample after the exposing step and before the amplifying step.

-5-Another aspect of the present invention comprises a method of treating cervical cancer, comprising the steps of: constructing a synthetic ribozyme comprising a hairpin portion, a binding site for binding to a nucleotide sequence of a human papilloma virus, and a cleavage site for cleaving the sequence, wherein the cleavage site is selected from the group consisting of a site after base 434 of the sequence and a site after base 419 of the sequence; and delivering an effective amount of the synthetic ribozyme to cervical tissue.
In this method, the step of delivering can comprise suspending the synthetic ribozyme in a lipofection-based liposomal delivery system. In addition, this method can further comprise the step of administering additional agents in combination with the synthetic ribozyme, such as immunological agents or chemotherapeutic agents. Preferably, the immunological agents are LAK
cells and the chemotherapeutic agent used is cisplatin.
Various embodiments of this invention provide a synthetic hairpin ribozyme which binds to and cleaves a target site in a human papilloma virus transcript, said target site selected from the group consisting of target sites represented by: 415-UAAC U*GUC AAAAGC-428 (SEQ ID NO: 7), 415-UAAC U*GUC AAAAGCC-429 (SEQ ID NO: 8), 415-UAAC U*GUC AAAAGCCA-430 (SEQ ID
NO: 9), and 415-UAAC U*GUC AAAAGCCAC-431 (SEQ ID NO: 10), wherein "*"
indicates the cleavage site.
Various embodiments of this invention provide a method of constructing a ribozyme to cleave a human papilloma virus transcript comprising the step of constructing a hairpin ribozyme wherein a binding site on the ribozyme includes a sequence noncomplementary to the cleavage site on a human papilloma virus and binding regions complementary to the sequences on either side of the cleavage site where the binding regions are complementary to sequences selected from the group consisting of: 415-UAAC U*GUC AAAAGC-428 (SEQ ID NO: 7), 415-UAAC U*GUC AAAAGCC-429 (SEQ ID NO: 8), 415-UAAC U*GUC AAAAGCCA-430 (SEQ ID
NO: 9), and 415-UAAC U*GUC AAAAGCCAC-431 (SEQ ID NO: 10), wherein """
indicates the cleavage site.
Various embodiments of this invention provide a vector comprising a DNA
sequence coding a ribozyme of this invention, the DNA being operatively linked to expression control sequences.
Various embodiments of this invention provide a host cell transformed with a vector of this invention and which is capable of expressing said ribozyme encoded by said vector.
Various embodiments of this invention provide an in vitro method for detecting a human papillomavirus-16 (HPV-16) in a human tissue extract comprising: a) exposing RNA from a sample -5a-from HPV-16 RNA, such that HPV-16 RNA present in said sample is cleaved by said ribozyme; b) amplifying the cDNA using primers complementary to: a 5' end of a full-length HPV-16 transcript, a fragment 5' of the ribozyme cleaving site of the full-length HPV-16 transcript, and a fragment 3' of the ribozyme cleavage site of the full-length HPV-16 transcript; and c) identifying DNA fragments amplified, such that a larger DNA fragment represents a full-length HPV-16 transcript and a smaller sized DNA fragment represents the fragment resulting from ribozyme cleavage of the full-length HPV transcript, wherein if HPV-16 RNA is present in the sample, a preponderance of the smaller fragment is identified relative to the larger fragment.

Brief Description of the Drawings Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.
FIGURE 1 is a diagram of the HPV target sites, showing the location of the target sites selected for cleavage by the hairpin ribozyme, the overlaps in the target sites of the mRNA for both the E6 and E7 region of HPV16, and the cleavage point of this target site by the hairpin ribozyme which occurs at the "" after nucleotide 434 and nucleotide 419.
FIGURE 2 is a diagram of the hairpin ribozyme with an optimized helix 1, comprising 8 bp, designed to cleave HPV-16 after position 434, showing the sequences of the optimized ribozyme (RHPV) and the substrate (SHPV), the regions of base pairing between target substrate and ribozyme (labeled Helix 1 and Helix 2), and the regions of base pairing required in the "hairpin"
portion of the catalyst (labeled Helices 3 and 4).
FIGURE 3 is an autoradiograph of the results of cleavage of HPV substrates after the 434 site by the present invention with helix 1 having lengths of 7 bp, 8 bp, and 9 bp as shown; reference controls were ribozyme R53 and substrate S17 (lanes 1 and 2), the reaction was at 37 C with 25 nM
ribozyme and 50 nM substrate for 60 minutes, and the reference reaction was native (-)sTRSV
sequence S17/R53 at 10 nM and 100 nM for the times shown (Hampel and Tritz, 1989, Biochem.
28:4929-4933).
FIGURE 4 illustrates the results of a time course of the cleavage by RHPV434 showing:
(FIG. 4A) an autoradiograph of the cleavage at each time point, and (FIG. 4B) a graph of the results from 4A,

-6=
wherein the cleavage conditions were the same as in FIGURE 3 using [R] - 25 nM
and [S] - 100 nM for the times shown.
FIGURE 5 illustrates the kinetic analysis of cleavage by RHPV434, showing:
(FIG. 5A) a graph of the results from FIG. 4B, and (FIG. 5B) an autoradiograph of the cleavage results after 10 minutes at each concentration of [SI, with cleavage conditions as in FIGURE 3 using [RI-20 nM
and [S] of 400 nM (lane 1), 200 nM (lane 2), 150 nM (lane 3), 100 nM (lane 4), 75 nM (lane 5), 50 nM
(lane 6), and 25 nM (lane

7).
FIGURE 6 is a diagram of the hairpin ribozyme with the optimized helix 1, comprising 7 bp, designed to cleave HPV=16 after position 419, showing the sequences of the optimized ribozyme (RHPV) and the substrate (SHPV), the regions of base pairing between target substrate and ribozyme (labeled Helix 1 and Helix 2), the regions of base pairing required in the "hairpin" portion of the catalyst (labeled Helices 3 and 4).
FIGURE 7 is an autoradiograph of the results of cleavage of HPV substrates after the 419 site by the present invention with helix 1 having lengths of 6 bp, 7 bp, 8 bp, and 9 bp as shown; the reference controls were ribozyme R53 and substrate S17 (lanes 1 and 2), the reaction was at 37 C with 25 nM
ribozyme and 50 nM substrate for 60 minutes, and the reference reaction was native (=)sTRSV sequence S171R53 at 10 nM and 100 nM for the times shown (Hampel and Tritz, 1989, Biochem. 28:4929-4933).
FIGURE 8 illustrates the results of a time course of the cleavage by RHPV419 showing: (FIG. 8A) an autoradiograph of the cleavage results at each time point, and (FIG. 8B) a graph of the results from FIG.
8A, where the cleavage conditions were the same as in FIGURE 3 using [RI-25 nM
and [S]-100 nM for the times shown.
FIGURE 9 illustrates the kinetic analysis of cleavage by RHPV419, showing:
(FIG. 9A) a graph of the results from FIG. 9B, and (FIG. 9B) an autoradiograph of the cleavage results after 10 minutes at each concentration of [S], with cleavage conditions as in FIGURE 3 using [R]-20 nM
and [S] of 200 nM (lane 1, 150nM (lane 2), 100 nM (lane 3), 75 nM (lane 4), 50 nM (lane 5), and 25 nM
(lane 6), and controls for reaction completion were zero minute (lane 7) and one hour (lane 8) for [S] of 20 nM.
FIG. 10 shows diagrammatically the polylinker region that was cloned into pBluescript KS to give the plasmid pBKS LNKR.
FIG. 11 is a diagram of the plasmid ptVl which contains the tRNA' promoter, its upstream region, tetraloop variant and polyT termination sequence. This was prepared by cloning the tRNA"' promoter and its upstream region into pBKS LNKR.

.7.
FIG. 12 shows the DNA sequence (SEQ ID NO: 19) of plasmid ptVl including the polylinker, tRNA"'' promoter, upstream region, tetraloop, termination region; new ribozymes can be cloned into the XhollMlul sites.
FIG. 13 is a diagram of the plasmid pBtV1-434 which contains the RHPV434 ribozyme in plasmid ptV1.
FIG. 14 shows the DNA sequence (SEQ ID NO: 20) of the polylinker and ribozyme in the plasmid pBtV 1-434.
FIG. 15 is a diagram of the plasmid pZIPV1-434(syn) which contains the RHPV434 ribozyme in the "syn" orientation in which transcription is the same direction as that of the retroviral genome in the retroviral vector.
FIG. 16 shows the DNA sequence (SEQ ID NO: 21) of the delivery cassette and ribozyme in the plasmid pZIP V1-434(syn).
FIG. 17 is a diagram of the plasmid pZIPV1-434(anti) which contains the RHPV434 ribozyme in the "anti" orientation in which transcription is in the opposite direction as that of the retroviral genome in the retroviral vector.
FIG. 18 shows the DNA sequence (SEQ ID NO: 22) of the polylinker and ribozyme in the plasmid pZIP V1-434(anti).
FIG. 19 is a diagram of the plasmid pB1V1-434(i) which contains the catalytically inactive mutant RHPV434 ribozyme clone into ptVl.
FIG. 20 shows the DNA sequence (SEQ ID NO: 23) of the delivery cassette and ribozyme in the plasmid pBtV1-434(i).
FIG. 21 shows expression of the HPV specific ribozyme in transformed human CXT1 carcinoma cells as assayed by RNase protection of transcripts; the arrow indicates the expected size of the protected ribozyme transcript from the pollll promoter, 160 nt.
FIG. 22 shows expression of the HPV E6 transcript in CXT1 cells containing the hairpin ribozyme as assayed by the RT and PCR method.
Detailed Description of the Invention A hairpin ribozyme containing a tetraloop modification was designed, tested and shown to cleave a specific sequence in the primary transcript from human papilloma virus type 16. The cleavage sites immediately followed nucleotide 434 and 419, respectively, in the sequence of this virus. Optimization of the ribozyme was carried out showing that an 8 nt helix 1 was optimal for the 434 site and that a 7 nt helix 1 was optimal for the 419 site. The time course of the reaction showed nearly complete cleavage of the substrate.

-8-Kinetic parameters for the 434 site were measured using standard Michaelis enzyme kinetic analysis. The Km for the reaction was 21 nM which shows very tight binding of the ribozyme and substrate. The kcat or turnover number was 0.083 miri' to give an overall catalytic efficiency (kcatlKm) of 4NM'' min''.
Kinetic parameters for the 419 site were also measured using standard Michaelis enzyme kinetic analysis. The Km for the reaction was 98 nM and the kcat or turnover number was 0.18 miri' to give an overall catalytic efficiency (kcatlKm) of 1.8 NM'' min''.
The optimized target sites are shown in Figure 1. Cleavage occurred after base 434 and after base 419, respectively, and before the GUC sequence shown as indicated in the diagram. This entire target sequence is part of the primary transcript (SE(I ID No:1) for the E6 and E7 regions of HPV16 (Nasseri, 1991, Virol. 194:136; Smotkin and Wettstein, 1989, J. Virol. 63:1441-1447).
The cap for this mRNA is on nt 97. A splice donor exists at nt 226, and two splice acceptors exist at nt 409 and nt 526. As a result, three different E6-E7 mRNAs can be produced: E6E7, E6:(I)E7, and E6(II)E7. E6E7 is the result of the full-length E6E7 transcript, in which the splice donor at nt 226 is not utilized. In E6E7, translation termination of E6 occurs at nt 557. E6(1)E7, the major transcript, is the result of utilization of the splice donor at nt 226 and the splice acceptor at nt 409, and its E6(I) translation termination signal is at nt 415.
This gives a truncated E6 coding region and a full-length E7. E6(II)E7, the minor transcript, is the result of utilization of the splice donor at nt 226 and the splice acceptor at nt 526, and its E6(1I) translation termination signal is at nt 541 to give a truncated E6 coding region and a full-length E7 (Nasseri, 1991, Virol.194:136).
An RNA catalyst (ribozyme) has been identified comprising an RNA sequence which can cleave, with great precision, HPV. The target sequences for cleavage by the ribozymes is present in the primary transcript E6E7, and E6(I)E7, the major transcript. Cleavage of these transcripts would have the effect of lowering the production of full-length E6 and E7 proteins, both of which appear to play a key role in 'keratinocyte transformation (Sedman, et al., 1991, J. Viral. 65:4860-4866).
The hairpin ribozyme (Hampel, et al., 1990, Nuc. Acids Res. 18:299-304) designed to cleave after the 434 site in HPV is shown in Figure 2 and is designated RHPV434. In the preferred embodiment, this hairpin ribozyme has the tetraloop modification as shown (Anderson, et al., 1994, Nuc. Acids Res. 22:1096-1100). The GUU sequence of Loop 3 of the basic structure has been replaced by a tetraloop sequence GGAC (UUCG) GUCC which in the present invention has been shown to generate a very stable structure with high catalytic efficiency. In particular, the invention comprises certain synthetic RNA catalysts capable of cleaving an RNA substrate which contains the target sequences:
430-ACUG U'GUC CUGAAGA-444 (SEQ ID N0:2) =9-430=ACUG U"GUC CUGAAGAA-445 (SEQ ID NO:3) 430-ACUG U*GUC CUGAAGAAA-446 (SEQ ID N0:4) The hairpin ribozyme designed to cleave after the 419 site in HPV is shown in Figure 6 and is designated RHPV41 9. In the preferred embodiment, this hairpin ribozyme also has the tetraloop modification as shown. The GUU sequence of Loop 3 of the basic structure has been replaced by a tetraloop sequence GGAC (UUCG) GUCC which in the present invention has been shown to generate a very stable structure with high catalytic efficiency. In particular, the invention comprises certain synthetic RNA catalysts capable of cleaving an RNA substrate which contains the target sequences:
415=UAAC U"GUC AAAAGC428 (SEQ ID NO:7) 415-UAAC U"GUC AAAAGCC-429 (SEQ ID NO:8) 415-UAAC U*GUC AAAAGCCA-430 (SEQ ID NO:9) 415=UAAC U"GUC AAAAGCCAC-431 (SE(I ID NO:10) "Synthetic RNA catalyst," as used herein, means a catalyst (ribozyme) which is not a naturally occurring RNA catalyst, although "synthetic catalysts" can be truncated or altered versions of naturally occurring catalysts. "Synthetic catalyst" include catalysts synthesized in vitro and catalysts synthesized in vivo. In particular, "synthetic catalysts" can include catalysts produced by hosts transformed by a vector comprising a sequence coding for the catalyst.
RNA of any length and type can be used as the substrate as long as it contains the target sequence represented by the formula 5'=F,=CS-F2-3'. In this formula, CS is the cleavage sequence, i.e., a sequence of bases containing the site at which the catalyst cleaves the substrate. CS is a short sequence of bases which does not base pair with the ribozyme, and in the present invention CS preferably has the sequence 5'-NGUC-3', wherein N is any base, and the substrate is cleaved by the ribozyme between N and G to produce a fragment having an OH at the 5' end and a fragment having a 2,'3' cyclic phosphate at the 3' end.
CS is flanked by two short base sequences F, and F2 which do base pair with the RNA catalyst.
F, is preferably at least 3 bases in length, most preferably 4 bases in length. F2 is also preferably at least three bases in length, most preferably 6 to 12 bases in length.
Ribozymes, according to the present invention, also include a substrate binding portion and a "hairpin" portion. The substrate binding portion of the catalyst is represented by the following formula:
3'F4=L,=F3-5' wherein, F3 is a sequence of bases selected so that F3 is substantially base paired with F2 (Helix 1, Figures 2 and 6) when the catalyst is bound to the substrate;

F4 is a sequence of bases selected so that F4 is substantially base paired with F, when the catalyst is bound to the substrate (Helix 2, Figures 2 and 6);
The sequences of F3 and F4 are selected so that each contains an adequate number of bases to achieve sufficient binding of the RNA substrate to the RNA catalyst so that cleavage of the substrate can take place; and L, is a sequence of bases selected so that L, does not base pair with CS when the catalyst is bound to the substrate (Loop 1, Figures 2 and 6).
As used herein, "substantially base paired" means that greater than 65% of the bases of the two RNA sequences in question are base paired, and preferably greater than 75% of the bases are base paired.
"Substantially unpaired" means that greater than 65% of the bases of the two sequences in question are not base paired, and preferably greater than 75% of the bases are not paired.
F3 is preferably at least 3 bases in length, most preferably from 6 to 12 bases in length. F4 is preferably from 3 to 5 bases in length, most preferably 4 bases in length.
L, is a short sequence of bases which preferably has the sequence 5'=AGAA=3' when CS has the sequence 5'-NGUC-3'. Further, when L, is 5'-AGAA=3' and CS is 5'=NGUC=3', then the first base pair between F, and F4 adjacent to CS and L, is preferably G:C or C:G (Figures 2 and 6). Accordingly, in the present invention a preferred target sequence in a selected substrate contains the sequence 5'-BNGUC=3', wherein B is G, C, or U (Anderson, et al., 1994, Nuc. Acids Res. 22:1096-1100).
The "hairpin" portion is a portion of the catalyst which folds into a hairpin-like configuration when the substrate-catalyst complex is modeled in two dimensions for minimum energy folding. This is shown in Figures 2 and 6. The "hairpin" portion is not an absolute hairpin in the sense that not all bases of the "hairpin" portion are base-paired. Indeed, it is necessary for the "hairpin"
portion to have at least one substantially unpaired region so that the catalyst can assume a tertiary structure that allows for better, or optimal, catalytic activity.
The "hairpin" portion of the catalyst preferably has the sequence:
,, P3 -SZ-Pi-3' ~PZ-Sz -Pl -5, wherein, P, and P4 are base sequences selected so that P, and P4 are substantially base paired (Helix 3, Figures 2 and 6).
P, is covalently attached to F4;
S, and S2 are sequences selected so that S, (Loop 2) and S2 (Loop 4) are substantially unpaired;

PZ and P3 are base sequences selected so that P2 and P3 are substantially base paired (Helix 4, Figures 2 and 6); and L2 is a sequence of unpaired bases (Loop 3).
"Substantially base paired" and "substantially unpaired" have the same meanings as discussed above.
P, and P4 are each preferably from 3 to 6 bases in length, and most preferably P, has the sequence 5'-ACCAG-3' and P4 has the sequence 5'-CUGGUA-3'. It has been found that the A at the 5' end of 5'-ACCAG-3' (underlined) is not base paired to the U at the 3' end of 5'-CUGGUA-3' (underlined), and the unpaired A may act as a "hinge" (Figures 2 and 6).
S, and S2 are each preferably from 4 to 9 bases in length, and most preferably S, has the sequence 5'-AGAAACA-3' and S2 has the sequence 5'-GUAUAUUAC-3'.
Unexpectedly, it was found that the hairpin ribozyme as constructed for an HIV
target sequence (Ojwang, et al., 1992, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89, 10802-10806) was not as efficient as a hairpin ribozyme constructed with a "tetraloop" modification.
In the prior art the preferred sequence P2 has the sequence 5'-CAC=3', P3 has the sequence 5'-GUG=
3' and L2 has the sequence 5'-GUU=3'(Ojwang, et al., 1992, Proc. Natl. Acad.
Sci. USA 89, 10802=10806).
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention L2, P21 P3 (Figures 2 and 6, Loop 3, Helix 4) are constructed to include the stable RNA hairpin sequence.
5'-GGAC UUCG GUCC -3' (SEQ ID N0:5) results in the "tetraloop" modification.
As a result, Helix 4 is extended by four base pairs over the prior art sequence listed hereinabove. Further, the GUU sequence of Loop 3 is replaced with the sequence UUCG. The resulting ribozyme is more active and more thermally stable than the non-modified ribozyme.
The structure of the present invention as shown in Figure 2 for RHVP434 and described hereinabove can be diagrammatically represented by the formula:

/P3-Sz -P. - 3' Lz ~ PZ - Sl - Pl - F, - Ll - F3 - 5' The complete sequence of the ribozyme of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 2 (SEQ ID NO:6).

.12.
The structure of the present invention as shown in Figure 6 for RHVP419 and described hereinabove can be diagrammatically represented by the formula:

/ P3 - Sz - P, - 3' "' P2 - S1 -Pl -Fl -I.1 -F3 -5' The complete sequence of the ribozyme of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 6 (SEQ ID N0:11).

The ribozyme of the present invention which cleaves the RNA of HPV can be used as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of HPV infections which are associated with genital warts and genital neoplasms.
In the preferred embodiment, there are two methods for administering the therapeutic agent: gene therapy and a modification of antisense methodology. The therapeutic agent utilized in the present invention is administered in combination with other drugs or singly, consistent with good medical practice.
The composition is administered and dosed in accordance with good medical practice taking into account the clinical condition of the individual patient, the site and method of administration, scheduting of administration, and other factors known to medical practitioners. The "effective amount" for purposes herein is thus determined by such considerations as are known in the art.
Human Gene Theraov The coding sequence for the HPV16 specific ribozyme is cloned into a vector as described herein and used in human gene therapy (Mulligan, 1993, Science 260:926-932). In one embodiment, a U6 promoter was cloned into the vector and positioned immediately before the ribozyme coding region. The U6 promoter is a eukaryotic pol III promoter capable of driving transcription of the ribozyme using the host cell's RNA polymerase II (Das, 1988, EMBO J. 7(2):503-512). The use of a retroviral vector for carrying the encoded ribozyme aids in the integration of the ribozyme coding sequence within the cell's genomic DNA, thus providing long-term production of the anti-HPV16 ribozyme within the cell (Chatterjee and Wong, 1993, Methods: Companion to Methods in Enzymology 5(1):51-59)=
To deliver the ribozyme-encoding vector to the target cells, a Lipofectin-based liposoma( delivery system is used. The use of liposomes aids in getting the vector-ribozyme DNA
to the cell without being degraded since the liposome acts as a protective barrier from nucleases (Sullivan, 1993, Methods:
Companion to Methods in Enzymology, 5(1):61-66). The cells take in the vector-containing liposomes via the naturally occurring process of endocytosis. The advantage of using the Lipofectin reagent is that it allows the liposome, once taken into the cell, to bypass degradation by lysosomal enzymes which is the usual fate of endocytic material (Feigner, et al., 1993, Methods: Companion to Methods in Enzymology 5(1):67-75). In a preferred embodiment, ribozymes directed against either or both of E6 and E7 are administered in combination with immunological agents such as LAK cells or chemotherapeutic agents such as cisplatin, which has use in cervical cancer. Delivery of a ribozyme to the cervical area can be by either painting or injection.
In addition to the vector described above, other vectors for the delivery of HPV=specific ribozymes can be used in gene therapy. Such vectors are described in more detail below.
The methods used with and the utility of the present invention can be further shown by the following examples.
Materials and Methods Enzymes and chemicals. All restriction enzymes used were from either Bethesda Research Laboratories (BRL) or Boehringer Mannheim Biochemicals. The buffers for restriction enzymes were supplied by the manufacturer. T4 DNA ligase and the sequencing kit were obtained from Pharmacia. The in vitro transcription kit and relevant enzymes were obtained from Promega. Bovine calf serum, antibiotics (penicillin and streptomycin), L=glutamine, sodium pyruvate, phosphate=buffered saline (PBS) and Dulbecco modified Eagle medium (DMEM) were purchased from GIBCO.
T7 RNA Polymerase used was manufactured by US Biochemicals (USB). With the exception of T7 RNA Polymerase, the buffers for enzymes used were supplied by the manufacturer. The T7 RNA
Polymerase transcription buffer consisted of the following: 40 mM Tris pH 8.0, 6 mM MgClz, 5 mM OTT, 1 mM Spermidine, 1% Triton-X 100T"". Synthetic DNA templates used for in vitro transcriptions and cloning were produced using an Applied Biosystems 392 DNA synthesizer.
Recombinant DNA techniques. Unless stated otherwise, the techniques were performed as described in Sambrook, et al. (1989, Molecular Cloning: A laboratorv Manual (2d ed.), Sections 1.25=1.28, 1.60=1.61, 1.68-1.69, 1.82-1.84, 6.9-6.13, 6.46-6.48).

Cleavage of HPV substrates. Cleavage was carried out in 12 mM MgCl2, 2 mM
spermidine and '40 mM Tris, pH 7.5 using methods previously published (Hampel and Tritz, 1989, Biochem. 28:4929-4933).
All reactions were carried out at 37 C, with 25 nM ribozyme and 50 nM
substrate for 60 minutes unless otherwise indicated. The reference reaction was native (-)sTRSV sequence S17JR53 at 10 nM and 100 nM for the times shown (Hampel and Tritz, 1989, Biochem. 28:4929-4933).
P32 labelling. Substrate and ribozymes were labelled with a P32=CTP by transcription from synthetic DNA templates using T7 RNA polymerase as previously described (Hampel and Tritz, 1989, Biochem. 28:4929-4933) and reaction products separated on 15=1896 polyacrylamide gels in 7M urea.

Construction of the ribozyme. The ribozyme was constructed by T7 transcription from complementary synthetic DNA templates. This was carried out as previously described (Hampel and Tritz, 1989, Biochem. 28:4929-4933).
Construction of Plasmids and Vectors Containing RHPV. Coding and non-coding strands for RHPV were synthesized and HPLC purified. The strands included in EcoRl site, the ribozyme coding region, a poly-T termination signal for RNA Polymerase III, and a BamHI site. The two strands were then annealed by adding an equimolar amount of each and incubating in H20 at 90 C for 5 minutes, then allowed to slowly cool down to room temperature over a 30-minute period. The resulting double-stranded fragment was digested with Eco RI and BamHI. The digestion products were run on an agarose gel, and the ribozyme coding fragment was isolated and purified.
The plasmid pHC (Altschuler, 1992, Gene, 122:85-90) was digested with EcoRl and BamHl, and the fragment was isolated and purified as above. The RHPV434 or RHVP419 fragment was then ligated into pHC, and the ligation mixture was used to transform competent DH5a bacterial cells. Single colonies were selected and grown in CircleGrow bacterial media, and plasmids extracted and purified using a standard miniprep protocol (Sambrook et al., 1989, Molecular Cloning: A
Laboratory Manual (2d ed.), Sections 1.25-1.28, 1.60-1.61, 1.68-1.69, 1.82-1.84, 6.9-6.13, 6.46-6.48). The plasmids were screened for incorporation of the RHPV434 or RHVP419 insert. A colony that incorporated the insert was then sequenced using the SequenaseT"" Version 2.0 enzymes and protocol to verify the proper DNA sequence. The resulting plasmid was termed pHC-434 or pHC-419 respectively.
The ribozymes are cloned into a Moloney retrovirus-based expression vector for in vivo testing in human cells transformed with HVP-16. The cloning scheme is as follows. The ribozyme oligos are synthesized with a Pol III termination signal and EcoRllBamH1 termini. These are then cloned into pHC
(Altschuler, 1992, Gene, 122:85-90), the standard bacterial expression vector used in a preferred embodiment. The ribozyme is cut out with EcoRl Hindill and cloned into pU6 which is a Bluescript vector containing a mouse U6 promoter (Das, 1988, EMBO J. 7(2):503-512). The insert containing the U6 promoter is then cloned into the BamHl site of pZIP-NeoSV(X) (Cepko, et al., 1984, Cell 37:1053-1062)-pHC-434 and pMU6, a plasmid which contains an RNA polymerase III promoter region (Das, 1988, EMBO J. 7(2):503-512) were digested with Eco RI and Hind III. The RHPV434 fragment, which retained the hairpin cassette region, and the pMU6 fragment were isolated and purified as described above. Ligation and bacterial transformation of the two fragments was carried out as described above. Colonies were screened and sequenced as described above. The resulting plasmid was termed pMU6-434.
Screening of HPV sequence (SE(I ID No:1) for cleavage site. HPV16 sequence data was obtained through Gen Bank. HPV16 E6 and E7 regions were inspected for potential target sequences as described above. All potential sites containing potential target sequences were tested, and ribozymes that showed significant catalytic activity were further developed. RHPV434 and RHVP419 are examples of ribozymes that showed significant catalytic activity.
The general principles of the present invention can be more fully appreciated by reference to the following non-limiting examples.
Example 1 In the preferred embodiment of the present invention as shown in Figure 2, Loop 3 and Helix 4 are constructed to include the stable RNA hairpin sequence.
5'-GGAC UUCG GUCC -3' (SEQ ID No:5) resulting in the "tetraloop" modification (Cheong, et al., 1990, Nature, 346:680-682; Varani, et al., 1991, Biochem. 30:3280-89). As a result Helix 4 is extended by four base pairs over the non-modified sequence. Further, the GUU sequence of Loop 3 is replaced with the sequence UUCG.
To determine the activity of the ribozyme, it is added to a substrate RNA at a ratio of 1:30 and the time course of cleavage studied as parameters are varied. The reaction is carried out in 12 mM MgCi21 40 mM Tris, pH 7.5 and 2 mM spermidine over 150 minutes. For temperature dependence, the rate of cleavage of a ribozyme containing the tetraloop modification is tested over a temperature range and compared to the control reaction at 37 C. The reaction products are analyzed on polyacrylamidelurea gels.
The bands are cut out and counted in a liquid scintillation counter. In the control reaction only 2% of the substrate remains after 150 min. indicating that the ribozyme must interact with multiple substrates during the course of the reaction since there were 30 times as much substrate as ribozyme. Further, the amount of the ribozyme remains the same and unaltered as expected of a catalyst.
In the temperature dependent study of the tetraloop modification compared to the prior art, the activity of the ribozyme was measured at 20 C, 27 C, 33 C, 37 C, 41 C and 45 C.
The reaction showed a temperature dependence similar to that which would be expected of a reaction involving base paired RNA molecules. The Arrhenius plot of the data gives a temperature optimum of 37 C for the reaction. Higher temperatures reduce the reaction rate with a very rapid rate reduction about 41 C consistent with a melting out of the catalytic RNA structure. At 50 C, no reaction was detectable. The reaction rate at temperatures below 37 C showed a linear reciprocal temperature dependence consistent with a classical lowering of the energy of the activation for the reaction. The slope of the line in the Arrhenius plot gave an energy of activation of 19 Kcallmole which is close to that found for cataiysts fitting the hammerhead cleavage mechanism (13.1 Kcallmole) (Uhienbeck, 1987, Nature 328:596-600).

The example shows that a ribozyme with the tetraloop modification is more active and more thermally stable than the prior art. This form of the ribozyme remains active at 45 C while the nonmodified ribozyme lost most of its activity at this temperature.
It was concluded from this experiment that Loop 3 does not have a conserved or invariant base sequence and that Helix 4 can be extended into Loop 3 by at least four base pairs with no loss of activity.
The four additional base pairs in Helix 4 provide helix stabilization of this region. The secondary folding energy of Helix 4 and Loop 3 in the prior art structure is +0.6 Kcallmole, while that of the ribozyme having the extended Helix 4 and Loop 3 of the sequence UUCG (tetraloop) of the present invention was determined to be .11.1 Kcallmole. Thus the presence of the tetraloop sequence increases the folding energy by 11.7 Kcallmole.
Examale 2 The cleavage reaction and optimization of helix 1 length for RHVP434. A
cleavage study was undertaken to optimize the length of Helix 1. Figure 3 shows bands on a denaturing polyacrylamide gel identifying the ribozyme, substrate and cleavage products. Three substrates were cleaved by the ribozyme, each with a different length helix 1. The substrates were as follows:

Substrate Helix 1 Lenath % Cleaved 430-ACUG U'GUC CUGAAGA-444 7 5.4 (SEQ ID No:2) 430-ACUG U'GUC CUGAAGAA-445 8 6.7 (SEQ ID No:3) 430-ACUG U"GUC CUGAAGAAA-446 9 6.5 (SE(I ID No:5) The most efficiently cleaved substrate was that which had an 8bp helix 1(SEQ
ID No:3) and was used for all further studies. It is referred to as SHPV and the corresponding ribozyme is referred to as RHPV-434 (Figure 2).
Time course of cleavage. The time course for cleavage of SHPV by RHPV434 was done over a 180 min period (Figure 4). The ribozyme efficiently cleaved the substrate to 88% completion.
Kinetic parameters of cleavage. A Michaelis kinetic analysis of the reaction was carried out by using limiting ribozyme and excess substrate for constant ribozyme concentration and varying substrate concentrations to measure initial velocities (Figure 5). The K,, for the reaction was 21 nM and k.,r or =17=
turnover number was 0.083 miri-'. This gives an overall catalytic efficiency (kcatlKm) of 4NM" miri-' which is about 7% that of the original native hairpin sequence (Hampel and Tritz, 1989, Biochem. 28:4929-4933).
Example 3 The cleavage reaction and optimization of helix 1 length for RHVP419. A
cleavage study was undertaken to optimize the length of Helix 1. Figure 7 shows bands on a denaturing polyacrylamide gel identifying the ribozyme, substrate and cleavage products. Four substrates were cleaved by the substrates were as follows:

Substrate Helix 1 Lenath % Cleaved 415-UAAC U*GUC AAAAGC=428 6 7.5 (SEQ ID N0:7) 415=UAAC U*GUC AAAAGCC=429 7 62.8 (SEQ ID N0:8) 415-UAAC U*GUC AAAAGCCA-430 8 12.1 (SEQ ID N0:9) 415-UAAC U*GUC AAAAGCCAC431 9 28.9 (SEQ IO N0:10) The most efficiently cleaved substrate was that which had a 7 bp helix 1(SEQ
IO No:8) and was used for all further studies. It is referred to as SHPV and the corresponding ribozyme is referred to as RHPV-419 (Figure 6).
Time course of cleavage. The time course for cleavage of SHPV by RHPV419 was done over a 180 min period (Figure 8). The ribozyme efficiently cleaved the substrate to 88% completion.
Kinetic parameters of cleavage. A Michaelis-Menton kinetic analysis of the reaction was carried out using limiting ribozyme and excess substrate for constant ribozyme and excess substrate for constant ribozyme concentration and varying substrate concentrations to measure initial velocities (Figure 9). The Km for the reaction was 98 nM and kat or turnover number was 0.18 min-'. This gives an.overall catalytic efficiency (kcatlKm) of 1.8NN' min" which is about 3% that of the original native hairpin sequence (Hampel and Tritz, 1989, Biochem. 28:4929=4933).
Preferred embodiments of our improved vector are described in detail in the following non-Iimiting examples.
Construction of the vector ptV1 containing a delivery cassette. The vector ptVl (Figs. 11 and 12) was prepared by cloning a delivery cassette consisting of a new polylinker, a human tRNA"" pollll .18.
promoter with a human upstream region (Arnold, et al., 1986, Gene 44:287=297), a tetraloop sequence variant, and a poly-T sequence into the vector pBluescript KS (from Stratagene). The human upstream region is shown, e.g., in Figure 12 (see also Arnold and Gross, 1987, Gene 51:237-246).
The steps for constructing the vector are as follows. Both strands of a new 119 nt linker region (Fig. 10) was prepared by chemical oligonucleotide synthesis. This linker region contained various restriction sites, the tetraloop sequence described above, and a poly-T tract to terminate pollll transcription. This was cloned into the Asp718(Kpn1)ISac1 sites of pBluescript KS (Stratagene) to give pBKSLNKR (not shown).
The plasmid pHTV1 (see Arnold, et al., 1986, Gene 44:287-297) contains the human tRNA"' promoter.
The tRNAv" gene plus an additional 50 nt of upstream sequence was amplified by PCR with EcoRllXhol termini. This was cloned into the corresponding sides of the linker region of pBKSLNKR to give the final ptVl construct (Figs. 11 and 12).
The ribozyme coding sequences can be cloned into the Xho1-M1u1 sites of ptVl.
All chemical syntheses of DNA oligonucleotides were carried out using standard methods on a synthesizer (using the manufacturer's recommendations for procedures). All constructions of plasmids were done using standard procedures (Sambrook et al., 1989, Molecular Cloning: A
Laboratory Manual (2d ed.)).
The tetraloop variant at the 3' terminus of the ribozyme has the sequence CCUG(UUCG)CAGG (SEQ
ID N0:16). This sequence is a variant of the highly stable tetraloop sequence GGAC(UUCG)GUCC (SEQ ID
N0:5) found in various native RNA sequences (Cheong, et al., 1990, Nature 346:680). In contrast to the native tetraloop, the variant reverses the two sequences forming the helix relative to the original. This difference, relative to the native tetraloop and other synthetic hairpin ribozyme constructs (Anderson, et al., 1994, Nuc. Acids Res. 22:1096-1100), decreases the probability of recombination in vivo between the construct and native or other synthetic sequences. This vector construct also has the advantage that the tetraloop variant can be removed and replaced by another tetraloop sequence by simply digesting the vector with MIui1 Bstxl and inserting another tetraloop sequence with appropriate ends.
The ptVl plasmid has additional advantages based on its components and their arrangement. The pollil promoter gives very high in vivo transcription of ribozyme (Yamada et al., 1994, Gene Therapy 1:38-45). The upstream region improves in vivo transcriptional levels of ribozyme (Arnold and Gross, 1987, Gene 51:237-246). The tetraloop variant gives improved stability to the ribozyme by protecting the 3' terminus from degradation by a 3' exonuclease. The poly-T sequence allows for efficient termination of transcription originating at the pollll promoter. Restriction sites (XholfMiui or BGIIIIMlul) after the tRNA
coding region are suitable for inserting ribozyme coding sequences. For example, a Bglll overhang can be ligated to a BamH1 overhang. Transcription initiates at the tRNA coding region and terminates efficiently after the poly-T tract is transcribed into a polyU portion of the ribozyme.

The whole delivery cassette can be easily digested from ptV1 as a unit and cloned into the corresponding restriction sites of viral expression vectors including Moloney-retrovirus based vectors, adenovirus, adeno-associated virus, and the like. This approach has been used to construct a series of constructs for delivery of HPV-specific ribozymes to living cells.
Construction of the vector for delivery of human papillomavirus-specific ribozymes to human cells. Our constructs containing the delivery cassette, a hairpin ribozyme sequence and a retroviral vector have been designed to specifically cleave HPV sequences. The ribozyme, RHPV434, was designed to cleave site 434 in the sequence of human papillomavirus HPV-16 (GenBank accession #K02718). The 434 site is in the E61E7 sequence of human papillomavirus (HPV) which has been found in human carcinoma (DiPaolo, et al., 1993, Critical Reviews in Oncogenesis 4:337-360). The retroviral vector used was pZIP-NeoSV(X)1 (Cepko, et al., 1984, Cell 37:1053-1062) which is a Moloney retrovirus-based vector used in human genetic engineering.
The DNA corresponding to an HPV-16 specific hairpin ribozyme for site 434 in the HPV-16 sequence was synthesized and cloned into the Xho1IM1u1 sites of vector ptVl as described above to give the plasmid pBtVl-434 (Figs. 13 and 14). The vector pBtVl-434 was digested with Sau3A1 and a 226 bp insert containing the delivery cassette with its inserted ribozyme was isolated following separation by agarose gel electrophoresis using standard methods. Digestion of this plasmid with Sau3A 1 A produces a number of fragments. The 226 bp fragment (cut between the BamH 1 and Bell sites) was identified by running a control digest of pBluescript KS side-by-side with the digest of pBtV1-434; the 226 bp fragment was seen only in the pBtVl-434 digest. This 226 bp fragment was cloned into the BamHl site of pZIP-Neo SV(X)1 in both orientations to give the plasmids pZIPV1-434(syn) (Figs. 15 and 16) and pZIPV1-434(anti) (Figs. 17 and 18), respectively. The "syn" orientation refers to constructs in which the inserted pollll promoter is in the same orientation as the pollll promoter of the retrovirus. The "anti" constructs have the inserted pollll promoter is in the opposite orientation relative to that of the po1111 promoter of the retrovirus.
In these constructs, the RHPV434 ribozyme coding region is downstream and therefore transcribed from a very powerful pollll promoter in a Moloney retrovirus-based vector.
This polill promoter gives very high transcription of in vivo effective ribozyme (Yamada, et al., 1994, Gene Therapy 1:38-45). The upstream region improves in vivo transcriptional levels of ribozyme (Arnold and Gross, 1987, Gene 51:237-246). The tetraloop gives improved stability by protecting the 3' terminus of the ribozyme against nuclease degradation. The poly-T sequence terminates transcription from the pollll promoter.

-20.
A corresponding inactive construct was also made. The inactive construct had a mutation changing an AAA to a CGU in loop 2 of the hairpin ribozyme cloned into ptVl (as described above). The catalytically inactive ribozyme is encoded by the pBtV1-434(i) plasmid (Figs. 19 and 20).
To verify that these and similar constructs have activity in vivo, constructs were transfected into tissue cultured cells and production of ribozyme was assayed.
Examale 4 In vivo testing. In vivo testing was performed using the HPV-16 specific constructs. The pZlPvi-434(syn) and pZIPV1-434(anti) vectors were stably transfected into human CXT1 cells using standard methods (Sambrook, et al., 1989, Molecular Cloning_ A Laboratory Manual. 2d ed.). The CXT1 cell line was derived from a spontaneous human cervical cancer tumor and has been shown to express the E6 and E7 proteins of HPV16.
The ribozyme is expressed in vivo by the delivery cassette in the retroviral vector.
Ribozyme expression was determined by RNase protection assays (Fig. 21; using the method of Lee and Costlow, 1987, Methods Enzymol. 152:633-648). The CXT1 cells were transfected with the pZIP-Neo-SV(X), pZIP-V1434(anti), and pZIP-V1434(syn) constructs and transformants were selected as resistant to the drug G418. RNA was isolated from the transfected cells using the acid phenol method (Sambrook et al., 1989, Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2d ed.). The probe used was transcribed with T7 RNA
polymerase from the plasmid pBtV1-434 (Figs. 13 and 14) which was previously cut with BamH 1; the RNA
transcript of 265 nt thus produced was used as the probe. RNase protection was carried out and products separated by gel electrophoresis using standard procedures (Sambrook et al., 1989, Molecular Cloning: A
Laboratorv Manual, 2d ed.).
Referring to Fig. 21, the arrow indicates the 160 nt size of the protected ribozyme transcript from the pollll promoter. Ribozyme is seen in the pZIPV1-434(syn) lane whereas none is seen in the lanes corresponding to RNA from cells transfected with pZIP-Neo-SV(X) and pZIP41434(anti). Similarly, no 160 'nt fragment is seen in the control lane for cells that were not transfected ("NT" lane). The other lanes are controls showing that the 32P probe is intact ("probe" lane) and that RNase is active for digestion of cellular RNA and probe ("RNase +" lane).
Note that only a 160 nt band was seen. If a longer 230 nt band had been seen, it would have indicated transcription originating from the pollit promoter of the vector.
The presence of only the 160 nt fragment shows that the ribozyme transcript was transcribed from the pol(ll promoter of the delivery cassette, and not from the vector promoter.
The hairpin ribozyme appeared to lower expression of the E6 mRNA in vivo. To determine if ribozyme expression affects HPV expression, an assay based on reverse transcription (RT) and amplification by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used. The CXT1 cells stably transfected with the pZIP-Neo-SV(X), pZIP=V1434(anti), and pZIP=V1434(syn) constructs and selected by G418=resistance were used as a source of HPV mRNA. The mRNA was isolated by the acid phenol method and further purified using binding to polyA using standard methods (Sambrook et al., 1989, Molecular Cloning: A
Laboratory Manual, 2d ed.). The mRNA was reverse transcribed to make cDNA
which was PCR amplified with E6 specific primers to detect a loss of E6 mRNA. The primer used for reverse transcription (called "16E1R"), complementary to the 3' end of E6 mRNA was: 5' TTATGGTTTCTGAG 3' (SEQ ID N0:12).
One of the PCR primers was an anchored probe specific to E6 cDNA which amplifies the lower strand of the E6 cDNA whether or not it is cleaved by the ribozyme. The other two PCR primers were specific for amplification of the upper strand of E6 cDNA. One of these upper strand primers is 5' of the ribozyme cut site at nt 434 and the other is 3' of the ribozyme cut site.
These three primers were: the anchored primer, called E7X, having the sequence 5' CCCTCTAGAGGCACACAATTCCTAGTG 3' (SEQ ID
N0:13); the primer 3' of the ribozyme cut site, called E6-U2, having the sequence 5' CACGTAGAGAAACCCAGC 3'(SEQ ID N0:14); and the primer 5' of the ribozyme cut site, called E6-16U, having the sequence 5' CAGCAATACAACAAACCG 3' (SEQ ID NO:15).
PCR amplification was performed using standard conditions: 25 cycles at 94 C
for one min for melting, then 65 C for 45 sec for annealing and 72 C for one min for polymerization using an automated thermocycler (Perkin Elmer model 480). Five units of Amplitaq polymerase (Perkin Elmer), 100 NM of each NTP, 10 ng of primer E6=16U (SEQ ID N0:15), 10 ng of primer E6-1.12 (SEQ ID
N0:14) and 20 ng of primer E7X (SEQ ID NO:13) were used.
This combination of three primers gave two PCR products of approximately 300 nt and 500 nt respectively in cells in which the E6 mRNA was intact. However, in cells in which the ribozyme cut the E6 mRNA, the smaller of the two PCR products of 300 nt was more predominant because of the molar ratio of ribozyme-cut E6 mRNA to complete-length E6 mRNA. The products were separated by gel electrophoresis.
Fig. 22 shows that the RT and PCR assay detects the presence of HPV E6 mRNA in infected cells.
This figure also shows that the ribozyme cleaves the E6 mRNA in transfected cells that express the ribozyme. The arrows indicate the positions where the two PCR amplified products migrate on a gel, with the leftmost arrow indicating the position of the 300 bp fragment and the rightmost arrow indicating the position of the 500 bp fragment as determined from the positions an the gel of the molecular weight markers ("MWM" lane). The positive control lane ("HPV-16") showed bands at both positions indicating that E6 mRNA is present in the CXT1 cells and that the assay successfully amplified both fragments. Cells -22.
transfected with the pZIP-Neo-SV(X) plasmid also serve as a control because the plasmid does not encode an HPV-specific ribozyme, and bands were seen at both positions.
Amplification using the three primers can be used to identify the presence of HPV-16 in human tissue. A sample containing RNA from human tissue can be subjected to the ribazyme and subsequently amplified using the three primers. The ribozyme will only cut RNA having the HPV-16 binding sequence.
Thus, samples containing HPV-16 RNA will be cut by the ribozyme and result in preferential amplification of the shorter product produced by the primer 5' of the ribozyme cut site.
Examole 5 Selection of a non-HPV-16 transformed cell line with HPV-16 specific ribozymes and transfection with an HPV-161E7 expression vector. HeLa cells are stably transfected with constructs capable of expressing an HPV ribozyme specific for site 434 in HPV. These constructs express the ribozyme using a pollll promoter of either mouse U6 (MU6) or human tRNA" (tVl) origin. Verification of ribozyme expression is determined by using RNA probes and RNase protection assays.
Ribozyme specific for site 434 of HPV is cloned into vectors with the ribozyme construct transcribed from either the mouse U6 (MU6? or human tRNA' (tV1) pollll promoter. Both bacterial plasmid constructs and Moloney retrovirus based constructs are made. The bacterial plasmid constructs have the human tRNA"" promoter cloned into the pBluescript(KS) plasmid (available from Stratagene). The 434 specific ribozyme is cloned into pBluescripts with the tRNA"l promoter at the multiple cloning site to give the plasmid pBTV1-434. The insert is removed from this plasmid by cutting with restriction enzyme Sau3A1 and the appropriate fragment size containing the insert is isolated using standard gel purification methods. The insert is then subcloned into the BamHl site of pZIP-neo which is a Moloney murine leukemia virus based plasmid, to give the plasmid pZIP-434 with the insert in either the "syn" or "anti"
configuration.
HeLa cells are transfected with the ribozyme constructs and stable transfectants are selected using the G418-resistance selection. Cells are grown up and RNA is isolated from the cells for use in an RNase protection assay to identify expressed ribozyme. The probe to be used for identification of the ribozyme is from a plasmid with the ribozyme inserted between a T3 and a T7 promoter.
These two plasmids are called pMU6-434A for the U6 promoter-ribozyme construct and pBTV1-434 for the tRNA"'' promoter-ribozyme construct. The probe for the MU6 promoter construct is produced by linearizing the MU6-containing plasmid, pMU6-434A, with EcoRl and transcribing the linearized plasmid with T3 RNA polymerase using standard procedures. This probe, which is 110 nt long, anneals to ribozymes produced from both the long terminal repeat (LTR) of the pZIP-434(syn) plasmid and the polill promoter of plasmids pZIP-434(syn) and pZIP-434(anti). No ribozyme can be produced by the LTR from the pZIP-434(anti) configuration. After annealing and RNase digestion, the protected fragment produced from the LTR is 77 nt in length, whereas the protected fragment produced from the pollll promoter is 64 nt long.
The probe used with the tVl promoter construct is produced by linearizing the plasmid pBtV1434 with BamHl and transcribing the plasmid DNA with T7 RNA polymerase using standard polymerization conditions. This probe, which is 265 nt long, anneals to ribozymes produced by both the LTR of pZIPV1-434(syn) and the pollll promoter of plasmids pZIPV1-434(syn) and pZIPV1-434(anti), but the sizes of the protected fragments differ. After RNase digestion, the protected fragment from the LTR is 230 nt in length, whereas the protected fragment produced from the pollll promoter is 160 nt long.
Cells are infected with a retroviral vector capable of expressing E61E7 genes.
Comparative levels of the three mRNA species for these two proteins (called E6E7, E6(I)E7 and E6(I1)E7; the first two being the major species and the third being the minor species) are measured using a reverse transcriptase and polymerase chain reaction (RTIPCR) assay as outlined in Cornelissen et al. (J.
Gen. Virol. 71:1243-1246, 1990.
The primers used in the RTIPCR assay are as follows. Primer 1 is 5' NNNAAGCTTCTGCAATGTTTCAGGACCC 3' (SEQ ID N0:17) and primer 2 is 5' NNNGGATCCCCATTGGTACCTGCAGGATC 3' (SEQ ID N0:18). Primer 2 is the primer used in the RT
reaction; both primers 1 and 2 are used in the PCR reaction. The RTIPCR
reaction yields fragments of the following sizes: 791 bp corresponding to E6E7 product; 608 bp for the E6(I)E7 product and 491 bp for the E6(II)E7 product.
Because ribozyme 434 cleaves the two major species of mRNA (E6E7 and E6(I)E7) and not the minor species (E6(II)E7), the minor species serves as an internal reference standard in the assay. Levels of the two major species (the 791 bp and 608 bp products) relative to the minor species (the 491 bp product) are measured to determine the in vivo efficacy of the 434 ribozyme.
The major species show a 10-5096 reduction relative to the internal minor species product when the ribozyme is expressed. As controls, cells transfected only with the ribozyme vector not containing the ribozyme insert and cells transfected with the inactive ribozyme construct are also used. The RTIPCR
assay shows no decrease in the two major species relative to the minor species when these plasmids are transfected.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that similar constructs and assays can be performed using the ribozyme specific for the 419 site. When these constructs are used and the 419-specific ribozyme is produced in transfected cells, a similar decrease in the major species of HPV mRNA
is seen relative to the internal reference minor species which is not cleaved by the 419-specific ribozyme.

-24=
SEQUENCE LISTING
(1) GENERAL INFORMATION:
(i) APPLICANT: Hampel, Arnold DiPaolo, Joseph Siwkowski, Andrew M.

(ii) TITLE OF INVENTION: HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS
INHIBITION BY A HAIRPIN RIBOZYME
(iii) NUMBER OF SEQUENCES:
(iv) CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS:
(A) ADDRESSEE: Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear (B)STREET: 620 Newport Center Drive (C) CITY: Newport Beach (D) STATE: California (E) COUNTRY: USA
(F) ZIP: 92660 (v) COMPUTER READABLE FORM:
(A) MEDIUM TYPE: 3.5" Disk (B) COMPUTER: PC Compatible (C) OPERATING SYSTEM: PC-DOS/MS-DOS
(D) SOFTWARE:
(vi) CURRENT APPLICATION DATA:
(A) APPLICATION NUMBER:
(B) FILING DATE:
(C) CLASSIFICATION:
(vii) ATTORNEY/AGENT INFORMATION:
(A) NAME: Altman, Daniel E.
(B) REGISTRATION NUMBER:
(C) REFERENCE/DOCKET NUMBER: NIH113.OO1QPC
(viii) TELECOMMUNICATION INFORMATION:
(A) TELEPHONE: (714) 760-0404 (B) TELEFAX: (714) 760-9502 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:1:
(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:
(A) LENGTH: 7904 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: double (D) TOPOLOGY: circular (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (genomic) =25-(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: No (iv) ANTI-SENSE: No (v) ORIGINAL SOURCE:
(A) ORGANISM: Human papillomavirus (B) STRAIN: HPV16 (vi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:l:
ACTACAATAA TTCATGTATA AAACTAAGGG CGTAACCGAA ATCGGTTGAA
CCGAAACCGG TTAGTATAAA AGCAGACATT TTATGCACCA AAAGAGAACT
GCAATGTTTC AGGACCCACA GGAGCGACCC AGAAAGTTAC CACAGTTATG
CACAGAGCTG CAAACAACTA TACATGATAT AATATTAGAA TGTGTGTACT
GCAAGCAACA GTTACTGCGA CGTGAGGTAT ATGACTTTGC TTTTCGGGAT
TTATGCATAG TATATAGAGA TGGGAATCCA TATGCTGTAT GTGATAAATG
TTTAAAGTTT TATTCTAAAA TTAGTGAGTA TAGACATTAT TGTTATAGTT
TGTATGGAAC AACATTAGAA CAGCAATACA ACAAACCGTT GTGTGATTTG
TTAATTAGGT GTATTAACTG TCAAAAGCCA CTGTGTCCTG AAGAAAAGCA
AAGACATCTG GACAAAAAGC AAAGATTCCA TAATATAAGG GGTCGGTGGA
CCGGTCGATG TATGTCTTGT TGCAGATCAT CAAGAACACG TAGAGAAACC
CAGCTGTAAT CATGCATGGA GATACACCTA CATTGCATGA ATATATGTTA
GATTTGCAAC CAGAGACAAC TGATCTCTAC TGTTATGAGC AATTAAATGA
CAGCTCAGAG GAGGAGGATG AAATAGATGG TCCAGCTGGA CAAGCAGAAC
CGGACAGAGC CCATTACAAT ATTGTAACCT TTTGTTGCAA GTGTACTCT ACGCTTCGGT
TGTGCGTACA AAGCACACAC GTAGACATTC GTACTTTGGA AGACCTGTTA
ATGGGCACAC TAGGAATTGT GTGCCCCATC TGTTCTCAGA AACCATAATC
TACCATGGCT GATCCTGCAG GTACCAATGG GGAAGAGGGT ACGGGATGTA
ATGGATGGTT TTATGTAGAG GCTGTAGTGG AAAAAAAAAA AGGGGATGCT
ATATCAGATG ACGAGAACGA AAATGACAGT GATACAGGTG AAGATTTGGT
AGATTTTATA GTAAATGATA ATGATTATTT AACACAGGCA GAAACAGAGA
CAGCACATGC GTTGTTTACT GCACAGGAAG CAAAACAACA TAGAGATGCA
GTACAGGTTC TAAAACGAAA GTATTTGGTA GTCCACTTAG TGATATTAGT
GGATGTGTAG ACAATAATAT TAGTCCTAGA TTAAAAGCTA TATGTATAGA
AAAACAAAGT AGAGCTGCAA AAAGGAGATT ATTTGAAAGC GAAGACAGCG
GGTATGGCAA TACTGAAGTG GAAACTCAGC AGATGTTACA GGTAGAAGGG
CGCCATGAGA CTGAAACACC ATGTAGTCAG TATAGTGGTG GAAGTGGGGG
TGGTTGCAGT CAGTACAGTA GTGGAAGTGG GGGAGAGGGT GTTAGTGAAA
GACACACTAT ATGCCAAACA CCACTTACAA ATATTTTAAA TGTACTAAAA
ACTAGTAATG CAAAGGCAGC AATGTTAGCA AAATTTAAAG AGTTATACGG
GGTGAGTTTT TCAGAATTAG TAAGACCATT TAAAAGTAAT AAATCAACGT
GTTGCGATTG GTGTATTGCT GCATTTGGAC TTACACCCAG TATAGCTGAC
AGTATAAAAA CACTATTACA ACAATATTGT TTATATTTAC ACATTCAAAG

.26.
TTTAGCATGT TCATGGGGAA TGGTTGTGTT ACTATTAGTA AGATATAAAT
GTGGAAAAAA TAGAGAAACA ATTGAAAAAT TGCTGTCTAA ACTATTATGT
GTGTCTCCAA TGTGTATGAT GATAGAGCCT CCAAAATTGC GTAGTACAGC
AGCAGCATTA TATTGGTATA AAACAGGTAT ATCAAATATT AGTGAAGTGT
ATGGAGACAC GCCAGAATGG ATACAAAGAC AAACAGTATT ACAACATAGT
TTTAATGATT GTACATTTGA ATTATCACAG ATGGTACAAT GGGCCTACGA
TAATGACATA GTAGACGATA GTTGAATTGC ATATAAATAT GCACAATTGG
CAGACACTAA TAGTAATGCA AGTGCCTTTC TAAAAAGTAA TTCACAGGCA
AAAATTGTAA AGGATTGTGC AACAATGTGT AGACATTATA AACGAGCAGA
AAAAAAAACA ATGAGTATGA GTCAATGGAT AAAATATAGA TGTGATAGGG
TAGATGATGG AGGTGATTGG AAGCAAATTG TTATGTTTTT AAGGTATCAA
GGTGTAGAGT TTATGTCATT TTTAACTGCA TTAAAAAGAT TTTTGCAAGG
CATACCTAAA AAAAATTGCA TATTACTATA TGGTGCAGCT AACACAGGTA
AATCATTATT TGGTATGAGT TTAATGAAAT TTCTGCAAGG GTCTGTAATA
TGTTTTGTAA ATTCTAAAAG CCATTTTTGG TTACAACCAT TAGCAGATGC
CAAAATAGGT ATGTTAGATG ATGCTACAGT GCCCTGTTGG AACTACATAG
ATGACAATTT AAGAAATGCA TTGGATGGAA ATTTAGTTTC TATGGATGTA
AAGCATAGAC CATTGGTACA ACTAAAATGC CCTCCATTAT TAATTACATC
TAACATTAAT GCTGGTACAG ATTCTAGGTG GCCTTATTTA CATAATAGAT
TGGTGGTGTT TACATTTCCT AATGAGTTTC CATTTGACGA AAACGGAAT CCAGTGTATG
AGCTTAATGA TAAGAACTGG AAATCCTTTT TCTCAAGGAC GTGGTCCAGA
TTAAGTTTGC ACGAGGACGA GGACAAGGAA AACGATGGAG ACTCTTTGCC
AACGTTTAAA TGTGTGTCAG GACAAAATAC TAACACATTA TGAAAATGAT
AGTACAGACC TACGTGACCA TATAGACTAT TGGAAACACA TGCGCCTAGA
ATGTGCTATT TATTACAAGG CCAGAGAAAT GGGATTTAAA CATATTAACC
ACCAAGTGGT GCCAACACTG GCTGTATCAA AGAATAAAGC ATTACAAGCA
ATTGAACTGC AACTAACGTT AGAAACAATA TATAACTCAC AATATAGTAA
TGAAAAGTGG ACATTACAAG ACGTTAGCCT TGAAGTGTAT TTAACTGCAC
CAACAGGATG TATAAAAAAA CATGGATATA CAGTGGAAGT GCAGTTTGAT
GGAGACATAT GCAATACAAT GCATTATACA AACTGGACAC ATATATATAT
TTGTGAAGAA GCATCAGTAA CTGTGGTAGA GGGTCAAGTT GACTATTATG
GTTTATATTA TGTTCATGAA GGAATACGAA CATATTTTGT GCAGTTTAAA
GATGATGCAG AAAAATATAG TAAAAATAAA GTATGGGAAG TTCATGCGGG
TGGTCAGGTA ATATTATGTC CTACATCTGT GTTTAGCAGC AACGAAGTAT
CCTCTCCTGA AATTATTAGG CAGCACTTGG CCAACCACCC CGCCGCGACC
CATACCAAAG CCGTCGCCTT GGGCACAGAA GAAACACAGA CGACTATCCA
GCGACCAAGA TCAGAGCCAG ACACCGGAAA CCCCTGCCAC ACCACTAAGT
TGTTGCACAG AGACTCAGTG GACAGTGCTC CAATCCTCAC TGCATTTAAC
AGCTCACACA AAGGACGGAT TAACTGTAAT AGTAACACTA CACCCATAGT

.2].
ACATTTAAAA GGTGATGCTA ATACTTTAAA ATGTTTAAGA TATAGATTTA
AAAAGCATTG TACATTGTAT ACTGCAGTGT CGTCTACATG GCATTGGACA
GGACATAATG TAAAACATAA AAGTGCAATT GTTACACTTA CATATGATAG
TGAATGGCAA CGTGACCAAT TTTTGTCTCA AGTTAAAATA CCAAAAACTA
TTACAGTGTC TACTGGATTT ATGTCTATAT GACAAATCTT GATACTGCAT
CCACAACATT ACTGGCGTGC TTTTTGCTTT GCTTTGTGTG CTTTTGTGTG
TCTGCCTATT AATACGTCCG CTGCTTTTGT CTGTGTCTAC ATACACATCA
TTAATAATAT TGGTATTACT ATTGTGGATA ACAGCAGCCT CTGCGTTTAG
GTGTTTTATT GTATATATTA TATTTGTTTA TATACCATTA TTTTTAATAC
ATACACATGC ACGCTTTTTA ATTACATAAT GTATATGTAC ATAATGTAAT
TGTTACATAT AATTGTTGTA TACCATAACT TACTATTTTT TCTTTTTTAT
TTTCATATAT AATTTTTTTT TTTGTTTGTT TGTTTGTTTT TTAATAAACT
GTTATTACTT AACAATGCGA CACAAACGTT CTGCAAAACG CACAAAACGT
GCATCGGCTA CCCAACTTTA TAAAACATGC AAACAGGCAG GTACATGTCC
ACCTGACATT ATACCTAAGG TTGAAGGCAA AACTATTGCT GAACAAATAT
TACAATATGG AAGTATGGGT GTATTTTTTG GTGGGTTAGG AATTGGAACA
GGGTCGGGTA CAGGCGGACG CACTGGGTAT ATTCCATTGG GAACAAGGCC
TCCCACAGCT ACAGATACAC TTGCTCCTGT AAGACCCCCT TTAACAGTAG
ATCCTGTGGG CCCTTCTGAT CCTTCTATAG TTTCTTTAGT GGAAGAAACT
AGTTTTATTG ATGCTGGTGC ACCAACATCT GTACCTTCCA TTCCCCCAGA
TGTATCAGGA TTTAGTATTA CTACTTCAAC TGATACCACA CCTGCTATAT
TAGATATTAA TAATACTGTT ACTACTGTTA CTACACATAA TAATCCCACT
TTCACTGACC CATCTGTATT GCAGCCTCCA ACACCTGCAG AAACTGGAGG
GCATTTTACA CTTTCATCAT CCACTATTAG TACACATAAT TATGAAGAAA
TTCCTATGGA TACATTTATT GTTAGCACAA ACCCTAACAC AGTAACTAGT
AGCACACCCA TACCAGGGTC TCGCCCAGTG GCACGCCTAG GATTATATAG
TCGCACAACA CAACAGGTTA AAGTTGTAGA CCCTGCTTTT CTAACCACTC
CCACTAAACT TATTACATAT GATAATCCTG CATATGAAGG TATAGATGTG
GATAATACAT TATATTTTTC TAGTAATGAT AATAGTATTA ATATAGCTCC
AGATCCTGAC TTTTTGGATA TAGTTGCTTT ACATAGGCCA GCATTAACCT
CTAGGCGTAC TGGCATTAGG TACAGTAGAA TTGGTAATAA ACAAACACTA
CGTACTCGTA GTGGAAAATC TATAGGTGCT AAGGTACATT ATTATTATGA
TTTAAGTACT ATTGATCCTG CAGAAGAAAT AGAATTACAA ACTATAACAC
CTTCTACATA TACTACCACT TCACATGCAG CCTCACCTAC TTCTATTAAT
AATGGATTAT ATGATATTTA TGCAGATGAC TTTATTACAG ATACTTCTAC
AACCCCGGTA CCATCTGTAC CCTCTACATC TTTATCAGGT TATATTCCTG
CAAATACAAC AATTCCTTTT GGTGGTGCAT ACAATATTCC TTTAGTATCA
GGTCCTGATA TACCCATTAA TATAACTGAC CAAGCTCCTT CATTAATTCC
TATAGTTCCA GGGTCTCCAC AATATACAAT TATTGCTGAT GCAGGTGACT

.28.
TTTATTTACA TCCTAGTTAT TACATGTTAC GAAAACGACG TAAACGTTTA
CCATATTTTT TTTCAGATGT CTCTTTGGCT GCCTAGTGAG GCCACTGTCT
ACTTGCCTCC TGTCCCAGTA TCTAAGGTTG TAAGCACGGA TGAATATGTT
GCACGCACAA ACATATATTA TCATGCAGGA ACATCCAGAC TACTTGCAGT
TGGACATCCC TATTTTCCTA TTAAAAAACC TAACAATAAC AAAATATTAG
TTCCTAAAGT ATCAGGATTA CAATACAGGG TATTTAGAAT ACATTTACCT
GACCCCAATA AGTTTGGTTT TCCTGACACC TCATTTTATA ATCCAGATAC
ACAGCGGCTG GTTTGGGCCT GTGTAGGTGT TGAGGTAGGT CGTGGTCAGC
CATTAGGTGT GGGCATTAGT GGCCATCCTT TATTAAATAA ATTGGATGAC
ACAGAAAATG CTAGTGCTTA TGCAGCAAAT GCAGGTGTGG ATAATAGAGA
ATGTATATCT ATGGATTACA AACAAACACA ATTGTGTTTA ATTGGTTGCA
AACCACCTAT AGGGGAACAC TGGGGCAAAG GATCCCCATG TACCAATGTT
GCAGTAAATC CAGGTGATTG TCCACCATTA GAGTTAATAA ACACAGTTAT
TCAGGATGGT GATATGGTTC ATACTGGCTT TGGTGCTATG GACTTTACTA
CATTACAGGC TAACAAAAGT GAAGTTCCAC TGGATATTTG TACATCTATT
TGCAAATATC CAGATTATAT TAAAATGGTG TCAGAACCAT ATGGCGACAG
CTTATTTTTT TATTTACGAA GGGAACAAAT GTTTGTTAGA CATTTATTTA
ATAGGGCTGG TACTGTTGGT GAAAATGTAC CAGACGATTT ATACATTAAA
GGCTCTGGGT CTACTGCAAA TTTAGCCAGT TCAAATTATT TTCCTACACC
TAGTGGTTCT ATGGTTACCT CTGATGCCCA AATATTCAAT AAACCTTATT
GGTTACAACG AGCACAGGGC CACAATAATG GCATTTGTTG GGGTAACCAA
CTATTTGTTA CTGTTGTTGA TACTACACGC AGTACAAATA TGTCATTATG
TGCTGCCATA TCTACTTCAG AAACTACATA TAAAAATACT AACTTTAAGG
AGTACCTACG ACATGGGGAG GAATATGATT TACAGTTTAT TTTTCAACTG
TGCAAAATAA CCTTAACTGC AGACGTTATG ACATACATAC ATTCTATGAA
TTCCACTATT TTGGAGGACT GGAATTTTGG TCTACAACCT CCCCCAGGAG
GCACACTAGA AGATACTTAT AGGTTTGTAA CCCAGGCAAT TGCTTGTCAA
AAACATACAC CTCCAGCACC TAAAGAAGAT GATCCCCTTA AAAAATACAC
TTTTTGGGAA GTAAATTTAA AGGAAAAGTT TTCTGCAGAC CTAGATCAGT
TTCCTTTAGG ACGCAAATTT TTACTACAAG CAGGATTGAA GGCCAAACCA
AAATTTACAT TAGGAAAACG AAAAGCTACA CCCACCACCT CATCTACCTC
TACAACTGCT AAACGCAAAA AACGTAAGCT GTAAGTATTG TATGTATGTT
GAATTAGTGT TGTTTGTTGT GTATATGTTT GTATGTGCTT GTATGTGCTT
GTAAATATTA AGTTGTATGT GTGTTTGTAT GTATGGTATA ATAAACACGT
GTGTATGTGT TTTTAAATGC TTGTGTAACT ATTGTGTCAT GCAACATAAA
TAAACTTATT GTTTCAACAC CTACTAATTG TGTTGTGGTT ATTCATTGTA
TATAAACTAT ATTTGCTACA TCCTGTTTTT GTTTTATATA TACTATATTT
TGTAGCGCCA GGCCCATTTT GTAGCTTCAA CCGAATTCGG TTGCATGCTT
TTTGGCACAA AATGTGTTTT TTTAAATAGT TCTATGTCAG CAACTATGGT

.2g.
TTAAACTTGT ACGTTTCCTG CTTGCCATGC GTGCCAAATC CCTGTTTTCC
TGACCTGCAC TGCTTGCCAA CCATTCCATT GTTTTTTACA CTGCACTATG
TGCAACTACT GAATCACTAT GTACATTGTG TCATATAAAA TAAATCACTA
TGCGCCAACG CCTTACATAC CGCTGTTAGG CACATATTTT TGGCTTGTTT
TAACTAACCT AATTGCATAT TTGGCATAAG GTTTAAACTT CTAAGGCCAA
CTAAATGTCA CCCTAGTTCA TACATGAACT GTGTAAAGGT TAGTCATACA
TTGTTCATTT GTAAAACTGC ACATGGGTGT GTGCAAACCG ATTTTGGGTT
ACACATTTAC AAGCAACTTA TATAATAATA CTAA
(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:2:
ACUGUGUCCU GAAGA
(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:3:
ACUGUGUCCU GAAGAA
(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:4:
ACUGUGUCCU GAAGAAA
(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:5:
GGACUUCGGU CC
(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:6:
UUCUUCAGAG AACAGUACCA GAGAAACACA CGGACUUCW UCCGUGGUAU' AUUACCUGGU A
(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:7:
UAACUGUCAA AAGC
(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:8:
UAACUGUCAA AAGCC
(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:9:
UAACUGUCAA AAGCCA
(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:10:
UAACUGUCAA AAGCCAC
(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:11:
GGCUUUUAGA AGUUAACCAG AGAAACACAC GGACUUCGGGiCCGUGGUAUA VUACCUGGUA
(xi) SEQ ID NO:12 5' TTATGGTTTC TGAG 3' (xi) SEQ ID NO:13 5' CCCTCTAGAGG CACACAATTCCTAGTG 3' (xi) SEQ ID NO:14 5' CACGTAGAGA AACCCAGC 3' (xi) SEQ ID NO:15 5' CAGCAATAC AACAAACCG 3' (xi) SEQ ID NO:16 5' CCUGUUCGCA GG 3' -30=
(xi) SEQ ID NO:17 5' NNNAAGCTTCTGCAATGTTTCAGGACCC 3' (xi) SEQ ID NO:18 5' NNNGGATCCCCATTGGTACCTGCAGGATC 3' (xi) SEQ ID NO:19 (See Figure 12) (xi) SEQ ID NO:20 (See Figure 14) (xi) SEQ ID NO:21 (See Figure 16) (xi) SEQ ID NO:22 (See Figure 18) (xi) SEQ ID NO:23 (See Figure 20)

Claims (18)

WE CLAIM:

1. A synthetic hairpin ribozyme which binds to and cleaves a target site in a human papilloma virus transcript, said target site selected from the group consisting of target sites represented by:
415-UAAC U*GUC AAAAGC-428 (SEQ ID NO: 7), 415-UAAC U*GUC AAAAGCC-429 (SEQ ID NO: 8), 415-UAAC U*GUC AAAAGCCA-430 (SEQ ID NO: 9), and 415-UAAC U*GUC AAAAGCCAC-431 (SEQ ID N0:10), wherein "*" indicates the cleavage site.

2. A synthetic hairpin ribozyme as in claim 1 which includes a tetraloop consisting of SEQ ID
NO: 5.

3. A synthetic ribozyme as in claim 1 consisting of the complete sequence as set forth in SEQ
ID NO: 11.

4. A method of constructing a ribozyme to cleave a human papilloma virus transcript comprising the step of constructing a hairpin ribozyme wherein a binding site on the ribozyme includes a sequence noncomplementary to the cleavage site on a human papilloma virus and binding regions complementary to the sequences on either side of the cleavage site where the binding regions are complementary to sequences selected from the group consisting of:
415-UAAC U*GUC AAAAGC-428 (SEQ ID NO: 7), 415-UAAC U*GUC AAAAGCC-429 (SEQ ID NO: 8), 415-UAAC U*GUC AAAAGCCA-430 (SEQ ID NO: 9), and 415-UAAC U*GUC AAAAGCCAC-431 (SEQ ID NO: 10), wherein "*" indicates the cleavage site.

5. A method of constructing a ribozyme to cleave a human papilloma virus transcript according to claim 4 wherein the step of constructing said hairpin ribozyme includes incorporating a tetraloop having the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5.

6. A vector comprising a DNA sequence coding for said ribozyme according to claim 1, 2 or 3, the DNA being operatively linked to expression control sequences.

7. A host cell transformed with a vector according to claim 6 and which is capable of expressing said ribozyme encoded by said vector.

8. An in vitro method for detecting a human papillomavirus-16 (HPV-16) in a human tissue extract comprising:
a) exposing RNA from a sample of human tissue to a ribozyme according to claim 1, 2 or 3, which binds to a nucleotide sequence from HPV-16 RNA, such that HPV-16 RNA present in said sample is cleaved by said ribozyme;
b) amplifying the cDNA using primers complementary to: a 5' end of a full-length HPV-16 transcript, a fragment 5' of the ribozyme cleaving site of the full-length HPV-16 transcript, and a fragment 3' of the ribozyme cleavage site of the full-length HPV-1 6 transcript; and c) identifying DNA fragments amplified, such that a larger DNA fragment represents a full-length HPV-16 transcript and a smaller sized DNA fragment represents the fragment resulting from ribozyme cleavage of the full-length HPV transcript, wherein if HPV-16 RNA is present in the sample, a preponderance of the smaller fragment is identified relative to the larger fragment.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the HPV-16 RNA cleaved by the ribozyme is an transcript of HPV-16.

10. The method of claim 8 or 9, wherein the ribozyme comprises the sequence of SEQ ID
N0:11.

11. The method of claim 8, 9 or 10, wherein the human tissue is cervical tissue.

12. The method of any one of claims 8 to 11, additionally comprising the step of producing cDNA from the RNA present in the sample after the exposing step and before the amplifying step.

13. The ribozyme of claim 1, 2 or 3, for use in medical treatment.

14. The ribozyme of claim 13, for use in treatment of cervical cancer or a pre-cancerous condition of the cervix.

15. A composition comprising the ribozyme of any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 13, and 14, suspended in a lipofectin-based liposomal delivery system.

16. A composition comprising the ribozyme of any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 13, and 15, in combination with an immunological agent or a chemotherapeutic agent.

17. A composition comprising the ribozyme of any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 13, and 15, in combination with LAK cells.

18. A composition comprising the ribozyme of any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 13, and 15, in combination with cisplatin.