Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P06889 (Mol)
 630,302 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The human genome is far smaller than originally estimated, and one explanation is that alternative splicing creates greater proteomic complexity than a simple count of open reading frames would suggest. The p53 homologue p63, for example, is a tetrameric transcription factor implicated in epithelial development and expressed as at least six isoforms with widely differing transactivation potential. In particular, p63alpha isoforms contain a 27-kDa C-terminal region that drastically reduces their activity and is of clear biological importance, since patients with deletions in this C terminus have phenotypes very similar to patients with mutations in the DNA-binding domain. We have identified a novel domain within this C terminus that is necessary and sufficient for transcriptional inhibition and which acts by binding to a region in the N-terminal transactivation domain of p63 homologous to the MDM2 binding site in p53. Based on this mechanism, we provide a model that explains the transactivation potential of homo- and heterotetramers composed of different p63 isoforms and their effect on p53.
Mol Cell Biol 2002 Dec
PMID:A C-terminal inhibitory domain controls the activity of p63 by an intramolecular mechanism. 1244 79

p63 is a transcription factor structurally related to the p53 tumor suppressor. The C-terminal region differs from p53's in that it contains a sterile alpha motif (SAM) domain and is subject to multiple alternative splicings. The N-terminal region is present in the transactivation (TA) and DeltaN configurations, with the latter lacking the transcriptional activation domain 1. Single amino acid substitutions and frameshift mutations of p63 cause the human ankyloblepharon ectodermal dysplasia clefting (AEC) or ectrodactyly ectodermal dysplasia and facial clefting (EEC) syndromes. We have systematically compared the activities of the wild-type p63 isoforms and of the natural mutants in activation and repression assays on three promoters modulated by p53. We found that p63 proteins with an altered SAM domain or no SAM domain-the beta isoforms, the EEC frameshift mutant, and the missense AEC mutations-all showed a distinctly higher level of activation of the MDM2 promoter and decreased repression on the HSP70 promoter. Fusion of SAM to the GAL4 DNA-binding domain repressed a heterologous promoter. A second activation domain, TA2, corresponding to exons 11 to 12, was uncovered by comparing the activation of DeltaN isoforms on natural promoters and in GAL4 fusion systems. In colony formation assays, the AEC mutants, but not the EEC frameshift, were consistently less efficient in suppressing growth, in both the TA version and the DeltaN version, with respect to their p63alpha counterparts. These data highlight the modularity of p63, identifying the SAM domain as a dominant transcriptional repression module and indicating that the AEC and EEC frameshift mutants are characterized by a subversion of the p63 transcriptional potential.
Mol Cell Biol 2002 Dec
PMID:Complex transcriptional effects of p63 isoforms: identification of novel activation and repression domains. 1244 84

The signaling pathway for DNA damaging drug-triggered apoptosis was examined in a chemosensitive human neuroblastoma cell line, SH-SY5Y. Doxorubicin and etoposide induce rapid and extensive apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells. After the drug treatment, p53 protein levels increase in the nucleus, leading to the induction of its transcription targets p21(Waf1/Cip1) and MDM2. Inactivation of p53, either by the human papillomavirus type 16 E6 protein or by a dominant-negative mutant p53 (R175H), completely protects SH-SY5Y cells from drug-triggered apoptosis. Cytochrome c and caspase-9 function downstream of p53 in mediating the drug-triggered apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells. In drug-treated cells, cytochrome c is released, and caspase-9 becomes activated. Inactivation of p53 blocks cytochrome c release and caspase-9 activation. Furthermore, drug-induced cell death can be prevented by expression of a dominant-negative mutant of caspase-9. These findings define a molecular pathway for mediating DNA damaging drug-induced apoptosis in the human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells and suggest that inactivation of essential components of this apoptotic pathway may confer drug resistance on neuroblastoma cells.
Mol Cancer Ther 2002 Jul
PMID:p53 mediates DNA damaging drug-induced apoptosis through a caspase-9-dependent pathway in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. 1247 64

MDM2 inhibits transactivation properties of the tumor suppressor protein p53 by binding to and facilitating proteasomal degradation of p53. Because MDM2 targets p53 for degradation, it was anticipated that cells that overexpress MDM2 would not contain functional wild-type p53 (wtp53). However, p53 and MDM2 in cells with damaged DNA can become phosphorylated, and their binding to each other can become inhibited. Thus, p53 remains functional and induces apoptosis of damaged cells. Here we report the results of experiments designed to investigate whether MDM2 amplification and overexpression can inhibit p53-mediated chemosensitivity to DNA-damaging drugs. Two cell lines in which MDM2 is amplified, NB-1691 and Rh18, were transduced with an adenoviral expression vector for p53 (Ad.p53). Although functional wtp53 was detected, no change in chemosensitivity was observed, suggesting that endogenous wtp53 may have been active in the MDM2-amplified cells. The adenoviral vector Ad.MDM2 was used to generate MDM2 expression in a rhabdomyosarcoma cell line, Rh30-CI.27, engineered to express inducible wtp53. When p53 expression was induced, cells became chemosensitive to actinomycin D in the presence or absence of MDM2 expression; this result suggests that MDM2 cannot inhibit p53-mediated chemosensitivity. There was no evidence of a reduced amount of MDM2-p53 binding after drug exposure, but the remaining unbound wtp53 may be functional and capable of potentiating cytotoxicity. In conclusion, MDM2 expression is important in inhibiting p53 function during tumor development but not during the DNA damage-mediated cytotoxic response.
Mol Cancer Ther 2002 Oct
PMID:MDM2 does not influence p53-mediated sensitivity to DNA-damaging drugs. 1248 33

The function of the p53 tumor suppressor protein must be highly regulated because p53 can cause cell death and prevent tumorigenesis. In cultured cells, the p90MDM2 protein blocks the transcriptional activation domain of p53 and also stimulates the degradation of p53. Here we provide the first conclusive demonstration that p90MDM2 constitutively regulates p53 activity in homeostatic tissues. Mice with a hypomorphic allele of mdm2 revealed a heretofore unknown role for mdm2 in lymphopoiesis and epithelial cell survival. Phenotypic analyses revealed that both the transcriptional activation and apoptotic functions of p53 were increased in these mice. However, the level of p53 protein was not coordinately increased, suggesting that p90MDM2 can inhibit the transcriptional activation and apoptotic functions of p53 in a manner independent of degradation. Cre-mediated deletion of mdm2 caused a greater accumulation of p53, demonstrating that p90MDM2 constitutively regulates both the activity and the level of p53 in homeostatic tissues. The observation that only a subset of tissues with activated p53 underwent apoptosis indicates that factors other than p90(MDM2) determine the physiological consequences of p53 activation. Furthermore, reduction of mdm2 in vivo resulted in radiosensitivity, highlighting the importance of mdm2 as a potential target for adjuvant cancer therapies.
Mol Cell Biol 2003 Jan
PMID:mdm2 Is critical for inhibition of p53 during lymphopoiesis and the response to ionizing irradiation. 1250 46

The astrocytomas represent the most common primary tumors of the brain. Despite efforts to improve the treatment of astrocytomas, these tumors and in particular the high-grade astrocytoma termed glioblastoma multiforme still carry a poor prognosis. In recent years, there has been an intensive effort to gain an understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that contribute to the pathogenesis of astrocytomas as a first step toward the development of better treatments for these devastating tumors. Here, we will review our current understanding of the signaling pathways that underlie glial transformation. Studies of astrocytomas have led to the identification of two major groups of signaling proteins whose abnormalities contribute to gliomagenesis: the cell cycle pathways and the growth factor-regulated signaling pathways. Among the cell cycle proteins, the p16-cdk4-pRb and ARF-MDM2-p53 cell cycle arrest pathways play a prominent role in glial transformation. In addition, deregulation of polypeptide growth factors acting via receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and of intracellular signals, including the lipid phosphatase PTEN, that regulate cellular responses to RTKs plays a critical role in gliomagenesis. In addition to the identification of the signaling proteins targeted in glial transformation, the cell-of-origin of astrocytomas has been investigated. Genetic modeling of astrocytomas in mice suggests that neuroepithelial precursor cells represent preferred cellular substrates of gliomas or that either astrocytes or precursor cells constitute potential cells-of-origin of astrocytomas. During normal brain development, neuroepithelial precursor cells, including neural stem cells, differentiate into astrocytes. As the mechanisms that control gliogenesis during normal brain development become better understood, it will be important to determine if deregulation of these mechanisms might contribute to the pathogenesis of astrocytomas. The elucidation of the molecular underpinnings of astrocytomas holds the promise of improved treatment options for patients with these devastating brain tumors.
Curr Mol Med 2003 Feb
PMID:Signaling pathways regulating gliomagenesis. 1255 76

Certain tumors of the esophagus that display both sarcomatous and carcinomatous features have long been recognized. The nomenclature, classification, and histogenesis remain controversial and the microscopic differential diagnosis from other esophageal malignancies can be challenging, particularly in small biopsies. In this paper, we review the literature of carcinosarcoma and present two cases of esophageal carcinosarcoma, describing their salient histologic, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural features. Also, we assess the expression of MDM2 and CDK4 in the carcinomatous and sarcomatous compartments of our cases and we compare them with the expression of these oncogenes in selected cases of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with prominent stromal reaction. In both of our cases, identification of some epithelial ultrastructural and immunohistochemical features in cells of otherwise sarcomatous phenotype lends support to the common epithelial origin of these neoplasms. Moreover, positive staining for MDM2 and CDK4 in our cases with equally strong reactions in both carcinomatous and sarcomatous elements provides evidence of a role for these molecules in the pathogenesis of carcinosarcoma. In contrast, in cases of squamous cell carcinoma with prominent stromal reaction only the epithelial cells stained strongly for MDM2 and CDK4. These differences in the MDM2 and CDK4 immunohistochemical profile between carcinosarcomas and carcinomas of the esophagus may assist in their differential diagnosis.
Exp Mol Pathol 2002 Dec
PMID:MDM2 and CDK4 expression in carcinosarcoma of the esophagus: comparison with squamous cell carcinoma and review of the literature. 1256 95

CP-31398, a styrylquinazoline, emerged from a high throughput screen for therapeutic agents that restore a wild-type-associated epitope (monoclonal antibody 1620) on the DNA-binding domain of the p53 protein. We found that CP-31398 can not only restore p53 function in mutant p53-expressing cells but also significantly increase the protein level and promote the activity of wild-type p53 in multiple human cell lines, including ATM-null cells. Cells treated with CP-31398 undergo either cell cycle arrest or apoptosis. Further investigation showed that CP-31398 blocks the ubiquitination and degradation of p53 but not in human papillomavirus E6-expressing cells. Of note, CP-31398 does not block the physical association between p53 and MDM2 in vivo. Moreover, unlike the DNA-damaging agent adriamycin, which induces strong phosphorylation of p53 on serines 15 and 20, CP-31398 exposure leads to no measurable phosphorylation on these sites. We found that CP-31398 could also stabilize exogenous p53 in p53 mutant, wild-type, and p53-null human cells, even in MDM2-null p53(-/-) mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Our results suggest a model wherein CP-31398-mediated stabilization of p53 may result from reduced ubiquitination, leading to high levels of transcriptionally active p53. Further understanding of this mechanism may lead to novel strategies for p53 stabilization and tumor suppression in cancers, even those with absent ARF or high MDM2 expression.
Mol Cell Biol 2003 Mar
PMID:Stabilization of p53 by CP-31398 inhibits ubiquitination without altering phosphorylation at serine 15 or 20 or MDM2 binding. 1261 87

In the past, most mechanistic studies of ionizing radiation response have employed very large doses, then extrapolated the results down to doses relevant to human exposure. It is becoming increasingly apparent, however, that this does not give an accurate or complete picture of the effects of most environmental exposures, which tend to be of low dose and protracted over time. We have initiated direct studies of low dose exposures, and using the relatively responsive ML-1 cell line, have shown that changes in gene expression can be triggered by doses of gamma-rays of 10 cGy and less in human cells. We have now extended these studies to investigate the effects on gene induction of reducing the rate of irradiation. In the ML-1 human myeloid leukemia cell line, we have found that reducing the dose rate over three orders of magnitude results in some protection against the induction of apoptosis, but still causes linear induction of the p53-regulated genes CDKN1A, GADD45A, and MDM2 between 2 and 50 cGy. Reducing the rate of exposure reduces the magnitude of induction of CDKN1A and GADD45A, but not the magnitude or duration of cell cycle delay. In contrast, MDM2 is induced to the same extent regardless of the rate of dose delivery. Microarray analysis has identified additional low dose-rate-inducible genes, and indicates the existence of two general classes of low dose-rate responders in ML-1. One group of genes is induced in a dose rate-dependent fashion, similar to GADD45A and CDKN1A. Functional annotation of this gene cluster indicates a preponderance of genes with known roles in apoptosis regulation. Similarly, a group of genes with dose rate-independent induction, such as seen for MDM2, was also identified. The majority of genes in this group are involved in cell cycle regulation. This apparent differential regulation of stress signaling pathways and outcomes in response to protracted radiation exposure has implications for carcinogenesis and risk assessment, and could not have been predicted from classical high dose studies.
Mol Cancer Res 2003 Apr
PMID:Differential responses of stress genes to low dose-rate gamma irradiation. 1269 64

Although MDM2, the product of mouse double minute-2 (mdm2) gene, or its human homologue possesses the potential to confer tumorigenic properties, it induces G1/S arrest in nontransformed cells. Flow cytometry provides a way to determine the effects of MDM2 on the cell cycle by expressing the protein ectopically, immunostaining cells expressing MDM2 and analyzing their DNA content. The DNA histograms of MDM2-transfected and untransfected cells can then be used to visualize the effect of ectopically expressed MDM2 on the cell cycle. Fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis following bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation can be used to determine whether MDM2-expressing cells are synthesizing DNA. Incorporation of BrdU during DNA synthesis or repair can be detected in partially denatured DNA with a BrdU-specific fluorescent antibody. Subsequent staining of transfected MDM2 with a different fluorochrome provides information about whether transfected cells make significant progression through S phase. Further analysis of the growth-regulatory properties of MDM2 will elucidate both its normal function and the ways in which its deregulation leads to tumorigenesis.
Methods Mol Biol 2003
PMID:Flow cytometric analysis of MDM2-mediated growth arrest. 1282 38


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>