A 44-Year-Old Woman, Gravida 2, Para 2, Is Being Evaluated

A 44-year-old woman, gravida 2, para 2, is being evaluated after having several episodes of painless postcoital bleeding.  She emigrated from Guatemala 5 years ago and has not received any preventative health care.  The patient is married and gave birth to two girls via vaginal delivery at home in Guatemala.  Her menstrual periods have been regular, and she uses barrier contraceptives.  Speculum examination reveals an ulcerative lesion at the external cervical os.  Cervical biopsy shows malignant squamous cells invading the underlying stroma.  Further analysis of the malignant cells reveals that a double-stranded DNA virus, which encodes several proteins including E6 and E7, has integrated into the host genome.  Which of the following is the most likely mechanism by which these viral proteins are involved in this patient's condition?

A) Constitutive activation of a cytoplasmic signal transducer protein
B) Constitutive activation of a transmembrane growth factor receptor
C) Inactivation of DNA repair proteins
D) Inhibition of cell cycle regulatory proteins
E) Enhancement of growth factor synthesis and secretion

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