Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P04637 (p53)
 77,613 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Overexpression and activation of HER-2/neu (also known as c-erbB-2), a proto-oncogene, was found in about 30% of human breast cancers, promoting cancer growth and making cancer cells resistant to chemo- and radio-therapy. Wild-type p53 is crucial in regulating cell growth and apoptosis and is found to be mutated or deleted in 60-70% of human cancers. And some cancers with a wild-type p53 do not have normal p53 function, suggesting that it is implicated in a complex process regulated by many factors. In the present study, we showed that the overexpression of HER-2/neu could decrease the amount of wild-type p53 protein via activating PI3K pathway, as well as inducing MDM2 nuclear translocation in MCF7 human breast cancer cells. Blockage of PI3K pathway with its specific inhibitor LY294002 caused G1-S phase arrest, decreased cell growth rate and increased chemo- and radio-therapeutic sensitivity in MCF7 cells expressing wild-type p53. However, it did not increase the sensitivity to adriamycin in MDA-MB-453 breast cancer cells containing mutant p53. Our study indicates that blocking PI3K pathway activation mediated by HER-2/neu overexpression may be useful in the treatment of breast tumors with HER-2/neu overexpression and wild-type p53.
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PMID:Downregulation of wild-type p53 protein by HER-2/neu mediated PI3K pathway activation in human breast cancer cells: its effect on cell proliferation and implication for therapy. 1562 17

The abilities of mutated active K-RAS and H-RAS proteins, in an isogenic human carcinoma cell system, to modulate the activity of signaling pathways and cell cycle progression following exposure to ionizing radiation is largely unknown. Loss of K-RAS D13 expression in parental HCT116 colorectal carcinoma cells blunted basal ERK1/2, AKT and JNK1/2 activity by -70%. P38 activity was not detected. Deletion of the allele to express activated K-RAS nearly abolished radiation-induced activation of all signaling pathways. Expression of H-RAS V12 in HCT116 cells lacking an activated RAS molecule (H-RAS V12 cells) restored basal ERK1/2 and AKT activity to that observed in parental cells, but did not restore or alter basal JNK1/2 and p38 activity. In parental cells radiation (1 Gy) caused stronger ERK1/2 pathway activation compared to that of the PI3K/AKT pathway. In H-RAS V12 cells radiation caused stronger PI3K/AKT pathway activation compared to that of the ERK1/2 pathway. Radiation (1 Gy) promoted S phase entry in parental HCT116 cells within 24h, but not in either HCT116 cells lacking K-RAS D13 expression or in H-RAS V12 cells. In parental cells radiation-stimulated S phase entry correlated with ERK1/2-, JNK1/2- and PI3K-dependent increased expression of cyclin D1 and cyclin A, and to a lesser extent cyclin E, 6-24 h after exposure. Cyclin A and cyclin D1 expression were not increased by radiation in cells lacking K-RAS D13 expression or in H-RAS V12 cells. Radiation (1 Gy) modestly enhanced expression of p53, hMDM2 and p21 in parental cells 2-6 h after exposure, which was abolished in cells lacking K-RAS D13 expression. Introduction of H-RAS V12 into cells lacking mutant active RAS partially restored radiation-induced expression of p21 and p53, and enhanced the induction of hMDM2 beyond that observed in parental cells. Collectively, our findings argue that the coordinated activation of multiple signaling pathways, in particular ERK1/2 and JNK1/2, by radiation is required to elevate the expression of G1 and S phase cyclin proteins and to promote S phase entry in human colon carcinoma cells expressing wild type p53. In HCT116 cells H-RAS V12 promotes hMDM2 expression after radiation exposure which correlates with reduced p53 expression and increased cell survival.
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PMID:Radiation-stimulated ERK1/2 and JNK1/2 signaling can promote cell cycle progression in human colon cancer cells. 1565 48

Patients with malignant gliomas have a poor prognosis and new treatment paradigms are needed against this disease. TRAIL/Apo2L selectively induces apoptosis in malignant cells sparing normal cells and is hence of interest as a potential therapeutic agent against gliomas. To determine the factors that modulate sensitivity to TRAIL, we examined the differences in TRAIL-activated signaling pathways in glioma cells with variable sensitivities to the agent. Apoptosis in response to TRAIL was unrelated to DR5 expression or endogenous p53 status in a panel of 8 glioma cell lines. TRAIL activated the extrinsic (cleavage of caspase-8, caspase-3 and PARP) and mitochondrial apoptotic pathways and reduced FLIP levels. It also induced caspase-dependent JNK activation, which did not influence TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Because the pro-survival PI3K/Akt pathway is highly relevant to gliomas, we assessed whether Akt could protect against TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Pretreatment with SH-6, a novel Akt inhibitor, enhanced TRAIL-induced apoptosis, suggesting a protective role for Akt. Conversely, TRAIL induced caspase-dependent cleavage of Akt neutralizing its anti-apoptotic effects. These results demonstrate that TRAIL-induced apoptosis in gliomas involves both activation of death pathways and downregulation of survival pathways. Additional studies are warranted to determine the therapeutic potential of TRAIL against gliomas.
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PMID:TRAIL-induced apoptosis in gliomas is enhanced by Akt-inhibition and is independent of JNK activation. 1571 39

Apigenin is a nontoxic dietary flavonoid that has been shown to possess anti-tumor properties and therefore poses special interest for the development of a novel chemopreventive and/or chemotherapeutic agent for cancer. Ovarian cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer death among women. Here we demonstrate that apigenin inhibits expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in human ovarian cancer cells. VEGF plays an important role in tumor angiogenesis and growth. We found that apigenin inhibited VEGF expression at the transcriptional level through expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1alpha). Apigenin inhibited expression of HIF-1alpha and VEGF via the PI3K/AKT/p70S6K1 and HDM2/p53 pathways. Apigenin inhibited tube formation in vitro by endothelial cells. These findings reveal a novel role of apigenin in inhibiting HIF-1 and VEGF expression that is important for tumor angiogenesis and growth, identifying new signaling molecules that mediate this regulation.
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PMID:Apigenin inhibits VEGF and HIF-1 expression via PI3K/AKT/p70S6K1 and HDM2/p53 pathways. 1574 77

Methylselenol has been implicated as an active metabolite for the anticancer effect of selenium in part through the induction of cancer cell apoptosis. Since inactivation of the AKT/protein kinase B negative regulator gene PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10) is common in prostate cancer (PCa), we compared PTEN wild-type DU145 PCa cells (low basal AKT activity) with PTEN-mutant LNCaP PCa cells (high basal AKT activity) for their apoptosis responses to the methylselenol precursor methylseleninic acid (MSeA) and sodium selenite, an inorganic salt. Our results show that LNCaP cells withstood approximately 4 times higher doses of MSeA than DU145 cells, although they were slightly more sensitive than the latter to selenite-induced apoptosis. Treatment by MSeA modestly attenuated AKT phosphorylation and increased phospho-ERK1/2 in LNCaP cells. Selenite treatment increased the phosphorylation of p53 Ser15 and both kinases, but the selenite-induced apoptosis was not influenced by chemical inhibitors of either kinase. In contrast, PI3K/AKT inhibitors greatly sensitized LNCaP cells to apoptosis induced by MSeA, accompanied by increased mitochondrial release of cytochrome c and multiple caspase activation without changing p53 Ser15 phosphorylation. The apoptosis was further accentuated by extracellular signal regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) inhibition without further increase in cytochrome c release. The general caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk completely blocked MSeA-induced apoptosis when both kinases were inhibited, whereas a caspase-8 inhibitor exerted a greater protection than did a caspase-9 inhibitor. Transfection of DU145 cells with a constitutively active AKT increased their resistance to MSeA-induced apoptosis. In summary, AKT played an important role in regulating apoptosis sensitivity of LNCaP and DU145 cells to MSeA. An MSeA-induced activation of ERK1/2 in LNCaP cells also contributed to resistance to apoptosis. However, these kinases did not significantly regulate caspase-mediated apoptosis induced by selenite in LNCaP cells. These findings support the differential involvement of these protein kinase pathways in regulating apoptosis induction by different forms of selenium.
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PMID:PKB/AKT and ERK regulation of caspase-mediated apoptosis by methylseleninic acid in LNCaP prostate cancer cells. 1584 51

Glioblastoma multiforme WHO grade IV is the most common and malignant variant of astrocytic tumors. Loss of heterozygosity of chromosome 10 and mutations in the tumor suppressor gene PTEN on 10q are molecular hallmarks of glioblastomas. Recently, mutations were identified in PIK3CA, encoding a protein that antagonizes the function of PTEN protein in the PI3K/Akt pathway. To address the question whether an exclusive mutation pattern can be observed in PIK3CA and PTEN, we determined the frequency of mutations in both genes. All coding exons were examined by single strand confirmation polymorphism and direct sequencing. Additionally, we analyzed chromosome 10 for loss of heterozygosity and evaluated the mutational status of TP53. In 70 glioblastomas, 5 (7%) PIK3CA mutations and 10 (14%) PTEN mutations were found. All mutations in PIK3CA located to exons 1, 9 and 20, thereby supporting the concept of mutational hot spot regions. In all but one glioblastoma, mutations were seen either in PIK3CA or in PTEN. In conclusion, the frequency of PIK3CA mutations in glioblastomas appears to be much lower than initially reported.
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PMID:PIK3CA mutations in glioblastoma multiforme. 1592 53

AKT activation enhances resistance to apoptosis and induces cell survival signaling through multiple downstream pathways. We now present evidence that AKT is activated in HTLV-1-transformed cells and that Tax activation of AKT is linked to NF-kappaB activation, p53 inhibition and cell survival. Overexpression of AKT wild type (WT), but not a kinase dead (KD) mutant, resulted in increased Tax-mediated NF-kappaB activation. Blocking AKT with the PI3K/AKT inhibitor LY294002 or AKT SiRNA prevented NF-kappaB activation and inhibition of p53. Treatment of C81 cells with LY294002 resulted in an increase in the p53-responsive gene MDM2, suggesting a role for AKT in the Tax-mediated regulation of p53 transcriptional activity. Further, we show that LY294002 treatment of C81 cells abrogates in vitro IKKbeta phosphorylation of p65 and causes a reduction of p65 Ser-536 phosphorylation in vivo, steps critical to p53 inhibition. Interestingly, blockage of AKT function did not affect IKKbeta phosphorylation of IkappaBalpha in vitro suggesting selective activity of AKT on the IKKbeta complex. Finally, AKT prosurvival function in HTLV-1-transformed cells is linked to expression of Bcl-xL. We suggest that AKT plays a role in the activation of prosurvival pathways in HTLV-1-transformed cells, possibly through NF-kappaB activation and inhibition of p53 transcription activity.
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PMID:Activated AKT regulates NF-kappaB activation, p53 inhibition and cell survival in HTLV-1-transformed cells. 1600 63

Alterations in cell proliferation and cell death are essential determinants in the pathogenesis and progression of several diseases such as cancer, neurodegenerative disorders or autoimmune diseases among others. Complex networks of regulatory factors determine whether cells proliferate or die. Recent progress in understanding the molecular changes offer the possibility of specifically targeting molecules and pathways to achieve more effective and rational therapies. Drugs that target molecules involved in apoptosis are used as treatment against several diseases. Candidates such as TNF death receptor family, caspase inhibitors, antagonists of the p53-MDM2 interaction, NF-kappaB and PI3K pathways and Bcl-2 family members have been targeted as cancer cell killing agents. Moreover, apoptosis of tumor cells can also be achieved by targeting the inhibitor of apoptosis proteins, IAPs, in addition to the classical antiproliferative approach. Disruption of STAT activation and interferon beta therapy have been used as a treatment to prevent the progression of some autoimmune diseases. In models of Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, blocking of Par-4 expression or function, as well as caspase activation, prevents neuronal cell death. Finally, it has been shown that gene therapy may be an encouraging approach for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.
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PMID:Modulating apoptosis as a target for effective therapy. 1609 9

5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-4-ribofuranoside (AICAR) is widely used as an AMP-kinase activator, which regulates energy homeostasis and response to metabolic stress. Here, we investigated the effect of AICAR, an AMPK activator, on proliferation of various cancer cells and observed that proliferation of all the examined cell lines was significantly inhibited by AICAR treatment due to arrest in S-phase accompanied with increased expression of p21, p27, and p53 proteins and inhibition of PI3K-Akt pathway. Inhibition in in vitro growth of cancer cells was mirrored in vivo with increased expression of p21, p27, and p53 and attenuation of Akt phosphorylation. Anti-proliferative effect of AICAR is mediated through activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) as iodotubericidin and dominant-negative AMPK expression vector reversed the AICAR-mediated growth arrest. Moreover, constitutive active AMPK arrested the cells in S-phase by inducing the expression of p21, p27, and p53 proteins and inhibiting Akt phosphorylation, suggesting the involvement of AMPK. AICAR inhibited proliferation in both LKB and LKB knock-out mouse embryo fibroblasts to similar extent and arrested cells at S-phase when transfected with dominant negative expression vector of LKB. Altogether, these results indicate that AICAR can be utilized as a therapeutic drug to inhibit cancer, and AMPK can be a potential target for treatment of various cancers independent of the functional tumor suppressor gene, LKB.
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PMID:5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-D-ribofuranoside inhibits cancer cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo via AMP-activated protein kinase. 1617 27

Genetic and biochemical evidence have demonstrated a direct link between Mdm2 and cancer development. Elevated expression of Mdm2 is observed in a significant proportion of different types of cancer. The major contribution of Mdm2 to the development of cancer is through a tight inhibition of the activities and stability of the tumor suppressor p53. However, extensive studies over the past few years have identified p53-independent functions of Mdm2, in the regulation of several important cellular processes and multiple signaling pathways. The promotion of cell cycle progression by Mdm2 is mediated via p53 inhibition, and by regulating the pRb/E2F complex. Mdm2 is an important mediator of growth and survival signaling in the PI3K/Akt pathway, an activator of certain steroid hormone receptors, and an inhibitor of the TGF-beta growth restrictive pathway. Thus, the impact on these pathways by deregulated Mdm2, as often observed in cancer, can be oncogenic in a permissible environment. This renders Mdm2 as an important target for the development of anti-cancer drugs.
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PMID:Mdm2 in growth signaling and cancer. 1624 10


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