Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P43146 (tumour suppressor)
 5,935 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) involving the distal chromosome 1 p36 region occurs frequently in nonastrocytic brain tumours, but the tumour suppressor gene targeted by this deletion is unknown. p73 is a novel gene that has high sequence homology and similar gene structure to the p53 gene; it has been mapped to 1 p36, and may thus represent a candidate for this tumour suppressor gene. To determine whether p73 is involved in nonastrocytic brain tumour development, we analysed 65 tumour samples including 26 oligodendrogliomas, 4 ependymomas, 5 medulloblastomas, 10 meningiomas, 2 meningeal haemangiopericytomas, 2 neurofibrosarcomas, 3 primary lymphomas, 8 schwannomas and 5 metastatic tumours to the brain, for p73 alterations. Characterization of allelic loss at 1 p36-p35 showed LOH in about 50% of cases, primarily involving oligodendroglial tumours (22 of 26 cases analysed; 85%) and meningiomas (4 of 10; 40%). PCR-SSCP and direct DNA sequencing of exons 2 to 14 of p73 revealed a missense mutation in one primary lymphoma: a G-to-A transition, with Glu291Lys change. 8 additional cases displayed no tumour-specific alterations, as 3 distinct polymorphic changes were identified: a double polymorphic change of exon 5 was found in one ependymoma and both samples derived from an oligodendroglioma, as follows: a G-to-A transition with no change in Pro 146, and a C-to-T variation with no change in Asn 204: a delG at exon 3/+12 position was identified in 4 samples corresponding to 2 oligodendrogliomas, 1 ependymoma and 1 meningioma, and a C-to-T change at exon 2/+10 position was present in a metastatic tumour. Although both LOH at 1 p36 and p73 sequence changes were evidenced in 4 cases, it is difficult to establish a causal role of the p73 variations and nonastrocytic brain tumours development.
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PMID:Mutation analysis of the p73 gene in nonastrocytic brain tumours. 1146 Oct 77

In subgroups of astrocytic neoplasms, including glioblastoma (GBM), mutations of the p53 tumour suppressor gene lead to loss of growth-suppressive properties. A p53-related gene termed p73 has recently been identified; its gene product shows structural and functional similarities to p53. After being mapped to chromosome region 1p36, p73 was proposed to act as a tumour suppressor gene, as this region is frequently deleted in a variety of human cancers, including astrocytic tumours. To determine whether p73 is involved in astrocytoma/GBM development, we analysed 10 pilocytic astrocytomas, 15 WHO grade II astrocytomas, 15 WHO grade III anaplastic astrocytomas, and 20 GBM for p73 gene alterations. In parallel, we used six polymorphic markers to determine the allelic status of region 1p36 in this tumour series. Although loss of heterozygosity was evidenced in 12 of 60 cases (20% of samples), PCR-SSCP and direct sequencing failed to detect any gene mutation in the entire coding region and intronic sequences of p73. Eight tumours displayed five distinct polymorphic nucleotide changes, also present in the corresponding normal DNA. These variations consisted of T-->C variation, with no change in Thr173; C-->T transition, with no change in His197; exon 9 simultaneous double change C-->T and T-->C , with no variations in Ala336 and His349, respectively, and C-->T change at exon 9/-24 position of intron 8. These results suggest that, in astrocytic gliomas, p73 may not play a major role as a tumour suppressor, but the relatively high incidence of LOH confirms the presence at 1p36 of an as yet unidentified gene of this category, with a key function in astrocytoma/GBM progression.
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PMID:Absence of mutation of the p73 gene in astrocytic neoplasms. 1149 43

p53 and p73 proteins activate similar target genes and induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. However, p53, but not p73 is considered a tumour-suppressor gene. Unlike p53, p73 deficiency in mice does not lead to a cancer-prone phenotype, and p73 gene is not mutated in human cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma. Here we report that normal liver cells express only DeltaN-p73 transcript forms giving rise to the synthesis of N-terminally truncated, transcriptionally inactive and dominant negative p73 proteins. In contrast, most hepatocellular carcinoma cells express TA-p73 transcript forms encoding full-length and transcriptionally active p73 proteins, in addition to DeltaN-p73. We also show that together with the acquired expression of TA-p73, the 'retinoblastoma pathway' is inactivated, and E2F1-target genes including cyclin E and p14(ARF) are activated in hepatocellular carcinoma. However, there was no full correlation between 'retinoblastoma pathway' inactivation and TA-p73 expression. Most TA-p73-expressing hepatocellular carcinoma cells have also lost p53 function either by lack of expression or missense mutations. The p73 gene, encoding only DeltaN-p73 protein, may function as a tumour promoter rather than a tumour suppressor in liver tissue. This may be one reason why p73 is not a mutation target in hepatocellular carcinoma.
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PMID:Acquired expression of transcriptionally active p73 in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. 1152 99

The TP53 tumour-suppressor gene belongs to a family that includes the two recently identified homologues TP63 and TP73. Overexpression of p73 can activate typical p53-responsive genes and induce apoptosis like p53. In addition, activation of p73 has been implicated in apoptotic cell death induced by aberrant cell proliferation and some forms of DNA-damage. These data together with the localization of TP73 on chromosome 1p36, a region frequently deleted in a variety of human cancers, led to the hypothesis that p73 has tumour suppressor activity just like p53. However, despite its proapoptotic activity in vitro, the lack of tumour-formation in p73 knock-out mice and primary human tumour data demonstrating overexpression of wild-type p73 currently argue against p73 being a classical tumour suppressor. Interestingly, in contrast to TP53, TP73 gives rise to a complex pattern of pro- and antiapoptotic p73 isoforms generated by differential splicing and alternative promoter usage. Therefore further insight into the function and regulation of these structurally and functionally diverse p73 proteins is needed to elucidate the role of TP73 for apoptosis and human tumorigenesis.
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PMID:p73 in apoptosis. 1159 34

p73 is a newly described homologue of the tumour suppressor p53 that was cloned serendipitously and subsequently shown to possess considerable homology in the most evolutionarily conserved p53 domains. Yet despite the fact that p53 and p73 have extensive structural similarities, their functions are proving to be quite different. We now show that p73 is a growth-regulated protein in the vasculature, being markedly increased in cultured vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells stimulated with 10% serum, with no significant change in p73 mRNA levels. Stability of p73 is increased after serum stimulation and, probably contributing to this increase in p73 stability, the c-Abl oncogene protein displays a higher molecular weight species and is probably phosphorylated and activated in serum-stimulated VSM cells. The serum-mediated induction of p73 is not altered when the cells are incubated with inhibitors of the MAP/ERK pathway or tyrosine kinases, and is not stimulated by PDGF-BB, demonstrating that the mechanism of the increase in p73 does not involve this classical receptor tyrosine kinase growth factor signalling cascade. p73 is markedly increased in plaque tissue taken from atherosclerotic human carotid arteries, but not in comparable intimal scrapings from normal human arteries. Our data indicate that the tumour suppressor homologue p73 probably plays a role in VSM cell cycle progression, being mediated by a specific, as yet unidentified, serum component, and identifies a new function for this protein as being important in the pathogenesis of human atherosclerosis as well as other vascular diseases.
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PMID:p73 is a growth-regulated protein in vascular smooth muscle cells and is present at high levels in human atherosclerotic plaque. 1160 83

The choice between growth arrest and apoptosis is made during differentiation, leading to survival with permanent arrest (e.g. neurons), or to death (e.g. epithelium). Genotoxic stress can also cause growth arrest or apoptosis, in addition to the activation of cell cycle checkpoint pathways. The p53 tumour suppressor can simulate growth arrest and apoptosis in response to DNA damage. Thus, p53 alone is not sufficient to specify these two mutually exclusive fates in damaged cells. The retinoblastoma tumour suppressor protein (RB) is a necessary downstream effector in p53-mediated growth arrest. RB inhibits E2F and the nuclear c-Abl tyrosine kinase. Interestingly, E2F activates the transcription of p73 mRNA and c-Abl stabilizes the p73 protein and activates its pro-apoptotic function. Because of RB, the c-Abl/p73 apoptosis pathway is activated in S/G(2) cells but not in G(1) cells. Taken together, the current data suggests RB to be an important player in directing the choice between permanent arrest and apoptosis. The antagonism between RB and c-Abl/p73 may modulate the function of p53 to direct the choice between growth arrest and apoptosis in DNA damaged cells.
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PMID:Choosing between growth arrest and apoptosis through the retinoblastoma tumour suppressor protein, Abl and p73. 1170 51

Several genetic alterations have been implicated in the development of malignant melanoma, but the expression of oncogenes, tumour suppressor, mismatch repair and apoptosis-related genes and their interactions in melanoma have not been completely clarified. We simultaneously examined the expression of p73, c-erbB-2, ras, p53, Mdm2, p27, DCC, hMLH-1, hMSH-2, bcl-2, Bax and NF-kappaB, by immunocytochemistry, in both primary and metastatic melanoma cell lines derived from melanoma patients. p73 was expressed in 7/8 cell lines, but stronger expressed in the metastatic cells than in the primary melanoma cells. c-erbB-2 was detected in all 8 cell lines and ras in 2/5 metastases. p53 was found in all the cell lines and Mdm2 in 1/8 of the cell lines. In the same patient, the intensity of p27 expression was decreased from the primary to the metastatic tumours. bcl-2 was expressed in all the cell lines. Bax was absent in 5/8 cell lines. In the same patient, Bax was weakly expressed in the primary tumour but lacking in the metastases. The data demonstrate that overexpression of p73, c-erbB-2, p53 and bcl-2, and loss of Mdm2 and Bax may interact and play important roles in the development and aggressiveness of human melanoma.
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PMID:Expression of oncogenes, tumour suppressor, mismatch repair and apoptosis-related genes in primary and metastatic melanoma cells. 1171 83

Inactivation of the tumour suppressor p53 is the most common defect in cancer cells. p53 is a sequence specific transcription factor that is activated in response to various forms of genotoxic stress to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Induction of p53 is subjected to complex and strict control through several pathways, as it will often determine cellular fate. The p73 protein shares strong structural and functional similarities with p53 such as the potential to activate p53 responsive genes and the ability to induce apoptosis. In addition to alternative splicing at the carboxyl terminus which yields several p73 isoforms, a p73 variant lacking the N-terminal transactivation domain (Delta Np73) was described in mice. In this study, we report the cloning and characterisation of the human Delta Np73 isoforms, their regulation by p53 and their possible role in carcinogenesis. As in mice, human Delta Np73 lacks the transactivation domain and starts with an alternative exon (exon 3'). Its expression is driven by a second promoter located in a genomic region upstream of this exon, supporting the idea of two independently regulated proteins, derived from the same gene. As anticipated, Delta Np73 is capable of regulating TAp73 and p53 function since it is able to block their transactivation activity and their ability to induce apoptosis. Interestingly, expression of the Delta Np73 is strongly up-regulated by the TA isoforms and by p53, thus creating a feedback loop that tightly regulates the function of TAp73 and more importantly of p53. The regulation of Delta Np73 is exerted through a p53 responsive element located on the Delta N promoter. Expression of Delta Np73 not only regulates the function of p53 and TAp73 but also shuts off its own expression, once again finely regulating the whole system. Our data also suggest that increased expression of Delta Np73, functionally inactivating p53, could be involved in tumorogenesis. An extensive analysis of the expression pattern of Delta Np73 in primary tumours would clarify this issue.
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PMID:Human delta Np73 regulates a dominant negative feedback loop for TAp73 and p53. 1175 69

The p63 gene encodes at least six different proteins with homology to the tumour suppressor protein p53 and the related p53 family member p73. So far, there have been limited data concerning the expression patterns of individual p63 proteins, due to a lack of reagents that distinguish between the different isoforms. Three antibodies have been produced specifically directed against the two N-terminal isoforms (TAp63 and DeltaNp63) and the C-terminal region of the p63alpha proteins. TAp63 proteins are located suprabasally in stratified epithelia compared with the N-terminal truncated forms, which are more abundantly expressed in the basal cell layer, indicating a switch in expression of p63 isoforms during normal cellular differentiation. Analysis of squamous cell carcinomas shows DeltaNp63alpha to be the most widely expressed isoform, compatible with a role for this protein in promoting neoplastic cell growth in these tissues. DeltaNp63 protein expression is also restricted to basal cells in breast and prostate, whilst TAp63 isoforms are more widely expressed in these tissues as well as in tumours at these sites. TAp63, but not DeltaNp63 or p63alpha, is detected in normal colon and in colon carcinoma. TAp63 proteins are also expressed in the nuclei of a sub-population of lymphoid cells and in most malignant lymphomas, whereas DeltaNp63 proteins are not expressed. Taken together, a hitherto unrecognized regulation of p63 isoform expression in vivo has been uncovered, with different p63 proteins expressed during differentiation and in different cell types. The data indicate roles for specific p63 isoforms not only in maintaining epithelial stem cell populations, but also in cellular differentiation and neoplasia.
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PMID:Differential expression of p63 isoforms in normal tissues and neoplastic cells. 1243 10

Cancer cells are associated with global hypomethylation but with focal hypermethylation of specific gene promoters organized as CpG island. DNA methyltransferases, DNMT1 and 3 (3a and 3b), have been implicated in mediating maintenance and de novo methylation. Hypermethylation of gene promoters results in the inactivation of the corresponding genes, by preclusion of the formation of the transcription complex, due to the recruitment of MBP, MeCPs and histone deacetylase. This results in the deacetylation of histone and thus a compact chromatin complex unfavourable for the initiation of transcription. This methylation-associated gene silencing has been demonstrated in various genes including tumour suppressor genes (p15, p16, p73, VHL). Therefore, gene promoter hypermethylation collaborates with other mechanisms of gene inactivation such as deletion and intragenic mutations to fulfil Knudson's hypothesis. Hypermethylation may serve as a molecular disease marker for the detection of minimal residual disease. Emerging evidence suggests a possible prognostic value of gene promoter hypermethylation. Moreover, gene hypermethylation may also serve as a target for therapeutic invention by hypomethylating agents.
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PMID:Hypermethylation of gene promoters in hematological neoplasia. 1246 26


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