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)

The small molecule UCN-01 is a cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) modulator shown to have antiproliferative effects against several in vitro and in vivo cancer models currently being tested in human clinical trials. Although UCN-01 may inhibit several serine-threonine kinases, the exact mechanism by which it promotes cell cycle arrest is still unclear. We have reported previously that UCN-01 promotes G(1)-S cell cycle arrest in a battery of head and neck squamous cancer cell lines. The arrest is accompanied by an increase in both p21(waf1/cip1) and p27(kip1) CDK inhibitors leading to loss in G(1) CDK activity. In this report, we explore the role and the mechanism for the induction of these endogenous CDK inhibitors. We observed that p21 was required for the cell cycle effects of UCN-01, as HCT116 lacking p21 (HCT116 p21(-/-)) was refractory to the cell cycle effects of UCN-01. Moreover, UCN-01 promoted the accumulation of p21 at the mRNA level in the p53-deficient HaCaT cells without increase in the p21 mRNA half-life, suggesting that UCN-01 induced p21 at the transcriptional level. To study UCN-01 transcriptional activation of p21, we used several p21(waf1/cip1) promoter-driven luciferase reporter plasmids and observed that UCN-01 activated the full-length p21(waf1/cip1) promoter and a construct lacking p53 binding sites. The minimal promoter region required for UCN-01 (from -110 bp to the transcription start site) was the same minimal p21(waf1/cip1) promoter region required for Ras enhancement of p21(waf1/cip1) transcription. Neither protein kinase C nor PDK1/AKT pathways were relevant for the induction of p21 by UCN-01. In contrast, the activation of mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways was required for p21 induction as UCN-01 activated this pathway, and genetic or chemical MEK inhibitors blunted p21 accumulation. These results demonstrated for the first time that p21 is required for UCN-01 cell cycle arrest. Moreover, we showed that the accumulation of p21 is transcriptional via activation of the MEK pathway. This novel mechanism, by which UCN-01 exerts its antiproliferative effect, represents a promising strategy to be exploited in future clinical trials.
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PMID:UCN-01-induced cell cycle arrest requires the transcriptional induction of p21(waf1/cip1) by activation of mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway. 1515 Jan 22

UCN-01 is a potent inhibitor of the S- and G2-M-phase cell cycle checkpoints by targeting chk1 and possibly chk2 kinases. It has been shown in some, but not all, instances that UCN-01 potentiates the cytotoxicity of DNA-damaging agents selectively in p53-defective cells. We have investigated this concept in HCT116 colon cancer cells treated with the topoisomerase I poison SN-38. SN-38 alone induced a senescence-like sustained G2 arrest without apoptosis. Sequential treatment with SN-38 followed by UCN-01 resulted in enhancement of cytotoxicity by apoptosis assay, whereas the reverse sequence or concurrent treatment did not potentiate apoptosis. Real-time visualization of HCT116 cells labeled with green fluorescent protein-histone 2B or green fluorescent protein-alpha-tubulin revealed that sequential treatment resulted in G2 checkpoint abrogation, and cells entered an aberrant mitosis despite normal assembly of bipolar spindles, resulting in either apoptosis or formation of micronucleated cells. Although p53-null cells were clearly more sensitive than parental HCT116 to undergoing checkpoint abrogation and mitotic death after sequential treatment, this was not accompanied by an increased inhibition of clonogenicity over that induced by SN-38 alone. Conversely, concurrent treatment with SN-38 and UCN-01 resulted in S-phase checkpoint override, an amplified DNA damage response including increased phosphorylation of the DNA double-strand breakage marker H2AX and augmentation of clonogenic inhibition, which was independent of p53. Thus, reported discrepancies in the pharmacology of UCN-01 and the influence of p53 status on treatment outcome appears to stem, in part, from the different schedules used, the specific checkpoints examined, and the assays used to assess cytotoxicity. Moreover, checkpoint abrogation and subsequent apoptosis induced by UCN-01 do not necessarily correlate with reproductive cell death.
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PMID:Potentiation of cytotoxicity of topoisomerase i poison by concurrent and sequential treatment with the checkpoint inhibitor UCN-01 involves disparate mechanisms resulting in either p53-independent clonogenic suppression or p53-dependent mitotic catastrophe. 1537 78

We have shown previously that ionizing radiation (IR) induces a persistent G(2)-M arrest but not cell death in MCF-7 breast carcinoma cells that harbor functional p53 but lack caspase-3. In the present study, we investigated the mechanisms of apoptosis resistance and the roles of p53, caspase-3, and cell cycle arrest in IR-induced apoptosis. The methylxanthine caffeine and the staurosporine analog UCN-01, which can inhibit ATM and Chk kinases, efficiently abrogated the IR-induced G(2)-M arrest and induced mitochondrial activation as judged by the loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential and the release of cytochrome c and Smac/Diablo. However, despite these proapoptotic alterations, cell death and activation of the initiator caspase-9 were not induced in MCF-7 cells but were interestingly only observed after reexpression of caspase-3. Sensitization to IR-induced apoptosis by caffeine or UCN-01 was abrogated neither by cycloheximide nor by pifithrin-alpha, an inhibitor of the transcriptional activity of p53. Furthermore, suppression of p53 by RNA interference could not prevent caffeine- and IR-induced mitochondrial alterations and apoptosis but resulted in an even more pronounced G(2)-M arrest. Collectively, our results clearly show that the resistance of MCF-7 cells to IR-induced apoptosis is caused by two independent events; one of them is a caffeine- or UCN-01-inhibitable event that does not depend on p53 or a release of the G(2)-M arrest. The second event is the loss of caspase-3 that surprisingly seems essential for a fully functional caspase-9 pathway, even despite the previous release of mitochondrial proapoptotic proteins.
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PMID:Apoptosis resistance of MCF-7 breast carcinoma cells to ionizing radiation is independent of p53 and cell cycle control but caused by the lack of caspase-3 and a caffeine-inhibitable event. 1546 1

Inhibitors of the G(2) DNA damage checkpoint can selectively sensitize cancer cells with mutated p53 to killing by DNA-damaging agents. Isogranulatimide is a G(2) checkpoint inhibitor containing a unique indole/maleimide/imidazole skeleton identified in a phenotypic cell-based screen; however, the mechanism of action of isogranulatimide is unknown. Using natural and synthetic isogranulatimide analogues, we show that the imide nitrogen and a basic nitrogen at position 14 or 15 in the imidazole ring are important for checkpoint inhibition. Isogranulatimide shows structural resemblance to the aglycon of UCN-01, a potent bisindolemaleimide inhibitor of protein kinase C beta (IC(50), 0.001 micromol/L) and of the checkpoint kinase Chk1 (IC(50), 0.007 micromol/L). In vitro kinase assays show that isogranulatimide inhibits Chk1 (IC(50), 0.1 micromol/L) but not protein kinase C beta. Of 13 additional protein kinases tested, isogranulatimide significantly inhibits only glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (IC(50), 0.5 micromol/L). We determined the crystal structure of the Chk1 catalytic domain complexed with isogranulatimide. Like UCN-01, isogranulatimide binds in the ATP-binding pocket of Chk1 and hydrogen bonds with the backbone carbonyl oxygen of Glu(85) and the amide nitrogen of Cys(87). Unlike UCN-01, the basic N15 of isogranulatimide interacts with Glu(17), causing a conformation change in the kinase glycine-rich loop that may contribute importantly to inhibition. The mechanism by which isogranulatimide inhibits Chk1 and its favorable kinase selectivity profile make it a promising candidate for modulating checkpoint responses in tumors for therapeutic benefit.
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PMID:Inhibition of Chk1 by the G2 DNA damage checkpoint inhibitor isogranulatimide. 1548 89

Thoracic ionizing radiation is a standard component of combined-modality therapy for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer. To improve low 5-year survival rates (5- 15%), new strategies for enhancing the effectiveness of ionizing radiation are needed. The kinase inhibitor UCN-01 has multiple cell cycle effects, including abrogation of DNA damage-induced S- and G(2)-phase arrest, which may limit DNA repair prior to mitosis. To test the hypothesis that therapy-induced cell cycle effects would have an impact on the efficacy of a combination of UCN-01 plus ionizing radiation, the cell cycle responses of the non-small cell lung cancer cell lines Calu1 (TP53-null) and A549 (wild-type TP53) to 2 Gy ionizing radiation were correlated with clonogenic survival after irradiation plus UCN-01. Irradiated cells were exposed to UCN-01 simultaneously and at 3-h increments after irradiation. In Calu1 cells but not A549 cells, sequence-dependent potentiation of radiation by UCN-01 was observed, with maximal interaction occurring when UCN-01 was administered 6 h after irradiation. This coincided with the postirradiation time with the greatest depletion of cells from G(1). Abrogation of G(2) arrest was observed regardless of TP53 status. The role of TP53 was investigated using siRNA to achieve gene silencing. These studies demonstrated that radiation plus UCN-01 was more effective in cells with diminished TP53 activity, associated with a reduced G(1) checkpoint arrest. These studies indicate that simultaneous elimination of multiple DNA damage-induced checkpoints in G(1), S and G(2) may enhance the effects of radiation and that drug scheduling may have an impact on clinical efficacy.
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PMID:Enhancement of radiation cytotoxicity by UCN-01 in non-small cell lung carcinoma cells. 1554 12

Gateways to Clinical Trials is a guide to the most recent clinical trials in current literature and congresses. The data in the following tables has been retrieved from the Clinical Trials Knowledge Area of Prous Science Integrity, the drug discovery and development portal, http://integrity.prous.com. This issue focuses on the following selection of drugs: Abiraterone acetate, Ad5CMV-p53, adefovir dipivoxil, AE-941, ambrisentan, aripiprazole, atomoxetine hydrochloride, atrasentan; BCH-10618, bimatoprost, BMS-184476, BMS-275183, BMS-387032, botulinum toxin type B, BR-1, BR96-Doxorubicin; Capravirine, caspofungin acetate, cinacalcet hydrochloride; Darbepoetin alfa, desloratadine, dextrin sulfate, DJ-927, duloxetine hydrochloride; Elacridar, emtricitabine, eplerenone, ertapenem sodium, escitalopram oxalate, ESP-24217, etoricoxib, exenatide, ezetimibe; Ferumoxtran-10, fondaparinux sodium, fosamprenavir calcium; GS-7904L, GW-5634; HMN-214, human insulin; IC-14, imatinib mesylate, indiplon, insulin glargine, insulinotropin, iseganan hydrochloride; Lanthanum carbonate, L-Arginine hydrochloride, LEA29Y, lenalidomide, LE-SN38, lestaurtinib, L-MDAM, lometrexol, lopinavir, lopinavir/ritonavir; Magnesium sulfate, maraviroc, mepolizumab, metreleptin, milataxel, MNA-715, morphine hydrochloride; Nesiritide, neutrophil-inhibitory factor, NK-911; Olanzapine/fluoxetine hydrochloride, olmesartan medoxomil, omalizumab, ortataxel, oxycodone hydrochloride/ibuprofen; Panitumumab, patupilone, PC-515, PD-MAGE-3 Vaccine, peginterferon alfa-2a, peginterferon alfa-2b, peginterferon alfa-2b/ ribavirin, pemetrexed disodium, pimecrolimus, prasugrel, pregabalin, PRO-2000; Rosuvastatin calcium, RPR-113090; sabarubicin hydrochloride, safinamide mesilate, SB-715992, sitaxsentan sodium, soblidotin, synthadotin; Tadalafil, taltobulin, temsirolimus, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine, testosterone gel, tigecycline, tipranavir, tirapazamine, trabectedin, travoprost; UCN-01; Vardenafil hydrochloride hydrate; XB-947; Yttrium 90 (90Y) ibritumomab tiuxetan.
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PMID:Gateways to clinical trials. 1560 26

We previously reported (Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 45: 252-258, 2000) that UCN-01 (7-hydroxystaurosporine), a protein kinase inhibitor, which is under clinical trials as an anti-cancer agent in the USA and Japan, enhanced camptothecin-induced cytotoxicity in breast cancer cells that lack p53 function. This enhancement was mediated by the abrogation of G2 arrest of tumor cells. Subsequent studies from our laboratory also revealed that the combined use of both UCN-01 and camptothecin induced DNA double strand breaks in p53 mutant tumor cells but not in normal or p53 negative epithelial cells. In this study, we report the implication of p53 on growth arrest and apoptosis following the combined treatment of human mammary epithelial cells with topotecan, a specific topoisomerase I inhibitor, and UCN-01. Experiments were performed on the following cells: normal human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC) with wild type p53, HME cells transfected with HPV16 E6 protein which inactivates p53 (HMEC/E6), and MDA231 mammary tumor cells with p53 mutation. UCN-01 selectively enhanced the cytotoxicity of topotecan in both MDA231 and HMEC/E6 cells. In contrast, UCN-01 showed little pharmacological effect, if any, on HME cells. Median-effect analysis indicated that a synergistic cytotoxic interaction existed between UCN-01 and topotecan in both MDA231 and HMEC/E6 cells, whereas, in the normal HME cells, the growth inhibition was only additive. Detailed cell-cycle analyses revealed that UCN-01 abrogated S-phase accumulation induced by topotecan treatment in p53 defective MDA231 tumor cells and HMEC/E6 cells. No changes in the cell cycle profiles of the normal HME cells were observed. In combination, UCN-01 and topotecan induced maximum apoptotic response on both HMEC/E6 and MDA231 cells at 6 and 48 hrs, respectively. These data indicate that UCN-01 selectively enhances topotecan cytotoxicity in p53 defective cells through the induction of apoptotic signaling pathway(s), although the time course for the induction of cell death is not the same. UCN-01 may, therefore, provide a new modality for topotecan-based therapy, particularly in p53 defective cancer patients.
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PMID:Implications of p53 in growth arrest and apoptosis on combined treatment of human Mammary epithelial cells with topotecan and UCN-01. 1572 41

The topoisomerase I inhibitor SN38 arrests cell cycle progression primarily in S or G(2) phases of the cell cycle in a p53-independent manner. The Chk1 inhibitor, 7-hydroxystaurosporine (UCN-01), overcomes both S and G(2) arrest preferentially in cells mutated for p53, driving cells through a lethal mitosis and thereby enhancing cytotoxicity. The mechanism by which p53 maintains S and G(2) arrest was investigated here. The p53 wild-type MCF10A cells were arrested in S phase by incubation with SN38 for 24 h. Subsequent incubation with UCN-01 failed to abrogate arrest. To examine the impact of p53, MCF10A cells were developed, which express the tetramerization domain of p53 to inhibit endogenous p53 function. These cells were attenuated in SN38-mediated induction of p21(WAF1), and UCN-01 induced S, but not G(2) progression. In contrast, MCF10A cells expressing short hairpin RNA to ablate p53 expression underwent both S and G(2) phase progression with UCN-01. The difference in G(2) progression was attributed to p53-mediated gene repression; the MCF10A cells expressing the tetramerization domain retained p53 protein and repressed both cyclin B and Chk1, while cells ablated for p53 did not repress these proteins. Hence, inhibition of p53 activator function permits S phase abrogation, while additional inhibition of p53 repressor function is required for abrogation of G(2) arrest. These studies provide a mechanistic explanation for how this therapeutic strategy can selectively target tumor cells.
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PMID:Distinct roles for p53 transactivation and repression in preventing UCN-01-mediated abrogation of DNA damage-induced arrest at S and G2 cell cycle checkpoints. 1578 34

p53 is frequently mutated in patients with prostate cancer, especially in those with advanced disease. Therefore, the selective elimination of p53 mutant cells will likely have an impact in the treatment of prostate cancer. Because p53 has important roles in cell cycle checkpoints, it has been anticipated that modulation of checkpoint pathways should sensitize p53-defective cells to chemotherapy while sparing normal cells. To test this idea, we knocked down ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) gene by RNA interference in prostate cancer cell lines and in normal human diploid fibroblasts IMR90. ATM knockdown in p53-defective PC3 prostate cancer cells accelerated their cell cycle transition, increased both E2F activity and proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression, and compromised cell cycle checkpoints, which are normally induced by DNA damage. Consequently, PC3 cells were sensitized to the killing effects of the DNA-damaging drug doxorubicin. Combining ATM knockdown with the Chk1 inhibitor UCN-01 further increased doxorubicin sensitivity in these cells. In contrast, the same strategy did not sensitize either IMR90 or LNCaP prostate cancer cells, both of which have normal p53. However, IMR90 and LNCaP cells became more sensitive to doxorubicin or doxorubicin plus UCN-01 when both p53 and ATM functions were suppressed. In addition, knockdown of the G(2) checkpoint regulators ATR and Chk1 also sensitized PC3 cells to doxorubicin and increased the expression of the E2F target gene PCNA. Together, our data support the concept of selective elimination of p53 mutant cells by combining DNA damage with checkpoint inhibitors and suggest a novel mechanistic insight into how such treatment may selectively kill tumor cells.
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PMID:RNA silencing of checkpoint regulators sensitizes p53-defective prostate cancer cells to chemotherapy while sparing normal cells. 1580 89

A mouse leukemia L1210 cell line (Y8), selected for resistance to deoxyadenosine, has a markedly altered phenotypic expression that includes loss of sensitivity to dATP as an allosteric inhibitor of ribonucleotide reductase, increased expression of c-myc, c-fos and WAF1/p21, but decreased expression of p53. In addition, the Y8 cells have a Very strong apoptotic response to a variety of agents under conditions in which the parental wild-type cells do not apoptose. In these studies, we show that flavopiridol (a cdk inhibitor) causes the Y8 cells to undergo apoptosis via a caspase-3 activation process. The apoptotic response to flavopiridol is markedly enhanced by LY294002. Data also show that the apoptotic response of the Y8 cells to roscovitine (a cdk inhibitor) is enhanced by UCN-01 (a PKC inhibitor). These data show that simultaneous blockage of specific pathways leads to increased apoptosis in the Y8 cells with essentially no effects on the parental wild-type L1210 cells.
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PMID:Blockage of cyclin cdk's, PKC and phosphoinositol 3-kinase pathways leads to augmentation of apoptosis in drug-resistant leukemia cells: evidence for interactive effects of flavopiridol, LY 294002, roscovitine,wortmannin and UCN-01. 1581 25


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