High-risk strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) such as HPV type 16 (HPV16) and HPV18 are causative agents of most human cervical carcinomas. E6, one of the oncogenes encoded by HPV16, possesses a number of biological and transforming functions. We have previously shown that the binding of E6 to host apoptotic proteins such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) R1, the adaptor protein FADD, and procaspase 8 results in a significant modification of the normal flow of apoptotic events. For example, E6 can bind to and accelerate the degradation of FADD. In addition, full-length E6 binds to the TNF R1 death domain and can also bind to and accelerate the degradation of procaspase 8. In contrast, the binding of small splice isoforms known as E6* results in the stabilization of procaspase 8. In this report, we propose a model for the ability of HPV16 E6 to both sensitize and protect cells from TNF as well as to protect cells from Fas. We demonstrate that both the level of E6 expression and the ratio between full-length E6 and E6* are important factors in the modification of the host extrinsic apoptotic pathways and show that at high levels of E6 expression, the further sensitization of U2OS, NOK, and Ca Ski cells to TNF-mediated apoptosis is most likely due to the formation of a pseudo-death-inducing signaling complex structure that includes complexes of E6 proteins.High-risk strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) such as HPV type 16 (HPV16) and HPV18, are the causative agents of most cases of human cervical carcinomas (23). Two oncogenes encoded by these viruses, E6 and E7, are best known for their ability to inactivate the tumor suppressors p53 and Rb, respectively (34). HPV16 E6 (E6) mediates a rapid, ubiquitin-dependent degradation of the tumor suppressor p53, and the resulting loss of p53 clearly contributes to the oncogenic potential of high-risk HPVs. In addition to accelerating the degradation of p53, E6 possesses numerous other biological and transforming activities (28). These activities result from the binding of E6 to cellular proteins that are involved in a number of cellular functions such as the regulation of transcription and DNA replication, epithelial organization and differentiation, cell-cell adhesion, polarity, proliferation control, DNA repair, apoptosis, and immune evasion (36).One important host response to viral infection is the activation of one or more apoptotic pathways, a process that is often carried out through members of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily. To overcome the elimination of infected cells through apoptosis, viruses have developed numerous ways to modify the normal course of apoptotic events (reviewed in references 12 and 14). Apoptosis mediated by members of the TNF superfamily is initiated by the binding of ligands to their corresponding receptors. This interaction leads to the recruitment of adaptor proteins and initiator caspases to the death domain (DD) of receptors, resulting in the formation of a death-inducing signaling complex (DISC). Following DISC formation, the c...