Persistent infection with oncogenic human papillomaviruses (HPV), particularly HPV16, is associated with selective expression of two virally encoded proteins (E6 and E7). One action of HPV16.E7 protein is to subvert the innate immune system through the down-regulation of IFNγ pathways, modulation of antigen presentation, and suppression of Toll-like receptor 9 protein.K14.E7 transgenic mice, which express HPV16.E7 oncoprotein within basal keratinocytes under the control of the keratin 14 transcriptional promoter, have been extensively used as a model of HPV oncoprotein-induced immune suppression associated with human squamous cancers, in which only the E6 and E7 genes of the papillomavirus are expressed. It has previously been shown that skin grafts expressing HPV16.E7 oncoprotein are not spontaneously rejected when transplanted onto syngeneic animals, but they are rejected when certain components of the innate immune system are unavailable, confirming that the expression of HPV16.E7 in the epithelium results in the establishment of a local suppressive environment and the subversion of antigen-specific T cells. Therefore, successful strategies targeting HPV-associated cancer need to circumvent or disrupt the local suppressive environment.Topical immunotherapy with immunostimulatory agents has been used clinically to treat cancerous lesions including squamous cell and basal cell carcinoma in immunocompetent and immunosuppressed patients. Topical application of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) is an effective therapy for condylomata acuminata caused by HPV infection. DNCB induced the complete clearance of HPV-associated warts in 13/15 patients. However, the use of DNCB for treatment has been discouraged because of its mutagenic potential. The aim of my doctoral research is to understand the mechanism of DNCB-induced inflammation in K14.E7 transgenic mice which has been poorly understood. I hypothesized that understanding how induction of a vigorous acute inflammatory response by DNCB can break the local immune-suppressive environment and restore the effector function of adaptive immunity might lead to more acceptable treatments for persisting HPV infection. In support of this hypothesis, the present study showed that DNCB application along with E7 specific immunization therapy was capable of inducing HPV16.E7 skin graft rejection.Arginase, which metabolizes l-arginine to N-ornithine and urea, has been identified as a crucial regulator of inflammation. As inflammation decides the fate of HPV infection and arginase is an important regulator of inflammation and immunity, I investigated the ii interaction between DNCB-induced inflammation and HPV16.E7 protein in the induction of arginase in K14.E7 transgenic mice. The first part of this study showed that topical DNCB application to skin expressing HPV16.E7 as a transgene induces a hyperinflammatory response, which is not seen in nontransgenic control animals. The E7-associated Taken together, my study suggests that HPV16.E7 protein enhances DNCB associated-prod...