Terminus Of P53 Research Articles

Cyclooxygenase-2 Suppresses Hypoxia-induced Apoptosis via a Combination of Direct and Indirect Inhibition of p53 Activity in a Human Prostate Cancer Cell Line

Although p53-inactivating mutations have been described in the majority of human cancers, their role in prostate cancer is controversial as mutations are uncommon, particularly in early lesions. p53 is activated by hypoxia and other stressors and is primarily regulated by the Mdm2 protein. Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, an inducible enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins and other eicosanoids, is also induced by hypoxia. COX-2 and resultant prostaglandins increase tumor cell proliferation, resistance to apoptosis, and angiogenesis. Previous reports indicate a complex, reciprocal relationship between p53 and COX-2. To elucidate the effects of COX-2 on p53 in response to hypoxia, we transfected the COX-2 gene into the p53-positive, COX-2-negative MDA-PCa-2b human prostate cancer cell line. The expression of functional p53 and Mdm2 was compared in COX-2+ versus COX-2- cells under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Our results demonstrated that hypoxia increases both COX-2 protein levels and p53 transcriptional activity in these cells. Forced expression of COX-2 increased tumor cell viability and decreased apoptosis in response to hypoxia. COX-2+ cells had increased Mdm2 phosphorylation in either normoxic or hypoxic conditions. Overexpression of COX-2 abrogated hypoxia-induced p53 phosphorylation and promoted the binding of p53 to Mdm2 protein in hypoxic cells. In addition, COX-2-expressing cells exhibited decreased hypoxia-induced nuclear accumulation of p53 protein. Finally, forced expression of COX-2 suppressed both basal and hypoxia-induced p53 transcriptional activity, and this effect was mimicked by the addition of PGE2 to wild-type cells. These results demonstrated a role for COX-2 in the suppression of hypoxia-induced p53 activity via both direct effects and indirect modulation of Mdm2 activity. These data imply that COX-2-positive prostate cancer cells can have impaired p53 function even in the presence of wild-type p53 and that p53 activity can be restored in these cells via inhibition of COX-2 activity.

P53 Linear Diffusion along DNA Requires Its C Terminus

In cells, sequence-specific transcription factors must search through an entire genome to find their target sites in promoters. Such sites may be identified by using one-dimensional (linear diffusion) and/or three-dimensional (association/dissociation) mechanisms. We show here that wild-type p53 possesses the ability to linearly diffuse on DNA. p53 lacking its C terminus is incapable of such sliding along DNA, while the isolated C terminus of p53 is even more effective than the full-length protein at one-dimensional linear diffusion. Importantly, neither acetylation-mimicking mutations nor phosphorylation of residues within the C terminus stimulates linear diffusion by p53. Supporting these in vitro observations, we found that C-terminally deleted p53 (p53Δ30) expressed at physiological levels is deficient in binding to and transactivating downstream promoters in vivo. Therefore, our data show that the C terminus is a positive regulator of DNA binding in vivo and in vitro, and indicate that the mechanism may involve linear diffusion.

P53 and stress in the ER.

The p53 tumor suppressor is one of the central players in the response of cells to various forms of stress. Clearly, the main form of stress that activates p53 is genotoxic stress in the form of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) or stalled DNA replication forks (Kastan et al. 1991; Vogelstein et al. 2000). If left unchecked by p53, genotoxic stress can lead to loss of genomic integrity and cancer development, as exemplified by the phenotype of mice lacking the p53 gene and the high frequency of p53 gene inactivation in human cancer (Hollstein et al. 1991; Donehower et al. 1992). Given these consequences, it is not surprising that p53 has potent effects in the cells in which it is activated, including apoptosis and irreversible senescence (Yonish-Rouach et al. 1991; Serrano et al. 1997). The ability of p53 to induce apoptosis and senescence clearly needs to be tightly regulated. Hyperactivation of p53 could compromise organism survival, if too many cells were driven to undergo apoptosis or permanent senescence, as illustrated by the premature aging phenotype of mice expressing a mutant p53 gene that leads to increased p53 activity (Tyner et al. 2002). Accordingly, there are several mechanisms to control p53 activity. Functionally, one of the most important such mechanisms involves the ubiquitin ligase Mdm2, which participates with p53 in a negative feedback loop: p53 activates transcription of the mdm2 gene, whose protein product then targets p53 for ubiquitin-dependent degradation (Wu et al. 1993; Honda et al. 1997). Thus, any increase in p53 activity is accompanied by increased p53 degradation. This and other mechanisms to control p53 activity can, of course, be overcome by genotoxic stress. Genotoxic stress can activate p53 through several pathways that typically involve posttranslational modifications of the N or C terminus of p53 (Brooks and Gu 2003; Xu 2003). The ATM protein kinase, which is activated in response to DNA DSBs, is a key player in p53 activation. ATM activates the Chk2 kinase, which in turn phosphorylates p53 on Ser 20, leading to dissociation of p53 from Mdm2 and increased p53 protein levels. A similar pathway is thought to operate in response to replication blocks, although in this case, ATR, an ATMrelated kinase, is activated, and p53 phosphorylation on Ser 20 is most likely mediated by both Chk2 and Chk1 (Abraham 2001; Iliakis et al. 2003). Modifications within the C terminus of p53 are numerous and regulate both the functional activity of p53 and its protein levels. Acetylation of several lysines, including Lys 373, Lys 381, and Lys 382, enhances the transcriptional activity of p53 and also stabilizes the p53 protein, because lysines that are acetylated cannot be ubiquitinated (Brooks and Gu 2003; Xu 2003). Dephosphorylation of Ser 376 is also observed in response to DNA DSBs (Waterman et al. 1998). This dephosphorylation is ATM-dependent and is apparently important for p53 to activate gene transcription and induce cell cycle arrest (Stavridi et al. 2001). Clearly, ATM, being a kinase, does not directly dephosphorylate p53 on Ser 376; however, the identity of the kinase(s) and phosphatase(s) that modify this residue are not known. Even though p53 probably originated during evolution to respond specifically to genotoxic stress (Nordstrom and Abrams 2000; Derry et al. 2001), cells are exposed to a multitude of stresses. Therefore, the question arises whether cells have developed mechanisms to ensure that p53 activation is restricted to conditions that threaten genomic integrity. Our understanding of the pathways leading to p53 activation suggests that the cells sense that genomic integrity is threatened by the presence of DNA DSBs or stalled replication forks (Abraham 2001; Iliakis et al. 2003). Certainly, stalling of replication forks due to DNA damage is a good indication of a threat to genomic integrity; however, stalling of replication forks due to reasons other than DNA damage or depleted nucleotides may not necessarily be indicative of a threat to genomic integrity. For example, heat shock will slow down most cellular processes, including DNA replication, but heat is not a genotoxic agent. From the perspective of the cell, it is probably not desirable to activate p53 in response to every agent that slows DNA replication, but how cells make these distinctions had not attracted a lot of attention. The manuscript by the group of A. Koromilas in this issue (Qu et al. 2004) addresses how a specific form of cellular stress inhibits p53 function. The authors examined cells in which an unfolded protein response (UPR) was induced specifically in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). This type of stress, often referred to as ER stress, was found to inhibit p53, probably to help ensure that Corresponding author. EMAIL halazonetis@wistar.upenn.edu; FAX (215) 573-9271. Article and publication are at http://www.genesdev.org/cgi/doi/10.1101/ gad.1181704.

Acetylation of p53 Inhibits Its Ubiquitination by Mdm2

In response to DNA damage, the activity of the p53 tumor suppressor is modulated by protein stabilization and post-translational modifications including acetylation. Interestingly, both acetylation and ubiquitination can modify the same lysine residues at the C terminus of p53, implicating a role of acetylation in the regulation of p53 stability. However, the direct effect of acetylation on Mdm2-mediated ubiquitination of p53 is still lacking because of technical difficulties. Here, we have developed a method to obtain pure acetylated p53 proteins from cells, and by using an in vitro purified system, we provide the direct evidence that acetylation of the C-terminal domain is sufficient to abrogate its ubiquitination by Mdm2. Importantly, even in the absence of DNA damage, acetylation of the p53 protein is capable of reducing the ubiquitination levels and extending its half-life in vivo. Moreover, we also show that acetylation of p53 can affect its ubiquitination through other mechanisms in addition to the site competition. This study has significant implications regarding a general mechanism by which protein acetylation modulates ubiquitination-dependent proteasome proteolysis.

C-terminal ubiquitination of p53 contributes to nuclear export.

The growth inhibitory functions of p53 are controlled in unstressed cells by rapid degradation of the p53 protein. One of the principal regulators of p53 stability is MDM2, a RING finger protein that functions as an E3 ligase to ubiquitinate p53. MDM2 promotes p53 nuclear export, and in this study, we show that ubiquitination of the C terminus of p53 by MDM2 contributes to the efficient export of p53 from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. In contrast, MDM2 did not promote nuclear export of the p53-related protein, p73. p53 nuclear export was enhanced by overexpression of the export receptor CRM1, although no significant relocalization of MDM2 was seen in response to CRM1. However, nuclear export driven by CRM1 overexpression did not result in the degradation of p53, and nuclear export was not essential for p53 degradation. These results indicate that MDM2 mediated ubiquitination of p53 contributes to both nuclear export and degradation of p53 but that these activities are not absolutely dependent on each other.

MDM2 Can Promote the Ubiquitination, Nuclear Export, and Degradation of p53 in the Absence of Direct Binding

MDM2 can bind the N terminus of p53 and promote its ubiquitination and export from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, where p53 can then be degraded by cytoplasmic proteasomes. Several studies have reported that an intact MDM2 binding domain is necessary for p53 to be targeted for ubiquitination, nuclear export, and degradation by MDM2. In the current study, we examined whether the MDM2 binding domain of p53 could be provided in trans through oligomerization between two p53 molecules. p53 proteins mutated in their MDM2 binding domains were unable to bind MDM2 directly and were resistant to MDM2-mediated ubiquitination, nuclear export, and degradation when expressed with MDM2 alone. However, these same p53 mutants formed a complex with MDM2 and were efficiently ubiquitinated, exported from the nucleus, and degraded when co-expressed with MDM2 and wild-type p53. Moreover, this effect required MDM2 binding by wild-type p53 as well as oligomerization between wild-type p53 and the MDM2 binding-deficient p53 mutants. Taken together, these results support a model whereby MDM2 binding-deficient forms of p53 can bind MDM2 indirectly through oligomerization with wild-type p53 and are subsequently targeted for ubiquitination, nuclear export, and degradation. These findings may have important implications regarding the DNA damage response of p53.

Requirement for HDM2 Activity in the Rapid Degradation of p53 in Neuroblastoma

The wild type p53 tumor suppressor protein is rapidly degraded in normal cells by MDM2, the ubiquitin ligase that serves as the key regulator of p53 function by modulating protein stability. Cellular exposure to genotoxic stress triggers the stabilization of p53 by multiple pathways that converge upon interference with MDM2 function. In this study, we first investigated the ability of HDM2 (MDM2 human homologue) to degrade endogenous p53 in neuroblastoma (NB). Although the p53 protein in NB has been reported to be constitutively stabilized, we find that HDM2 in NB is functional and facilitates the rapid turnover of p53 in nonstressed cells via the proteasome pathway. Second, we examined the relationship between p53 and HDM2 in the adriamycin-mediated stabilization of p53 in NB. We demonstrate that while p53 stabilization depends neither upon the phosphorylation of specific N-terminal sites nor upon dissociation from HDM2, it requires inactivation of functional HDM2. In support of this notion, p53 stabilization following adriamycin resulted in an inhibition of both p53 ubiquitination and HDM2 ligase activity. Taken together, these data implicate a requirement for enzymatic inactivation of HDM2 as a novel mechanism for p53 stabilization in the DNA damage response pathway.

Hepatitis C Virus Core Protein Enhances p53 Function through Augmentation of DNA Binding Affinity and Transcriptional Ability

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes a persistent infection, chronic hepatitis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Since there are several reports indicating that some viruses influence the tumor suppressor p53 function, we determined the effects of HCV proteins on p53 function and its mechanism determined by use of a reporter assay. Among seven HCV proteins investigated (core, NS2, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, NS5A, and NS5B), only core protein augmented the transcriptional activity of p53 and increased the expression of p21(waf1) protein, which is a major target of p53. Core protein increased both DNA-binding affinity of p53 in electrophoretic morbidity shift assay and transcriptional ability of p53 itself in a reporter assay. The direct interaction between core protein and C terminus of p53 was also shown by glutathione S-transferase fusion protein binding assay. In addition, core protein interacted with hTAF(II)28, a component of the transcriptional factor complex in vivo and in vitro. These results suggest that HCV core protein interacts with p53 and modulates p53-dependent promoter activities during HCV infection.

Phosphorylation of murine p53 at ser-18 regulates the p53 responses to DNA damage.

Ser-15 of human p53 (corresponding to Ser-18 of mouse p53) is phosphorylated by ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) family kinases in response to ionizing radiation (IR) and UV light. To determine the effects of phosphorylation of endogenous murine p53 at Ser-18 on biological responses to DNA damage, we introduced a missense mutation (Ser-18 to Ala) by homologous recombination into both alleles of the endogenous p53 gene in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. Our analyses showed that phosphorylation of murine p53 at Ser-18 in response to IR or UV radiation was required for a full p53-mediated response to these DNA damage-inducing agents. In contrast, phosphorylation of p53 at Ser-18 was not required for ATM-dependent cellular resistance after exposure to IR. Additionally, efficient acetylation of the C terminus of p53 in response to DNA damage did not require phosphorylation of murine p53 at Ser-18.

Systemic lupus erythematosus in mice, spontaneous and induced, is associated with autoimmunity to the C-terminal domain of p53 that recognizes damaged DNA.

The tumor suppressor molecule p53 features a regulatory domain at the C terminus that recognizes damaged DNA. Since damaged DNA might be involved in activating anti-DNA autoantibodies, we tested whether autoimmunity to the C terminus of p53 might mark murine systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We now report that MRL / MpJ-Fas(lpr) mice, which spontaneously develop SLE, produce antibodies both to the C terminus of p53 and to a monoclonal antibody (PAb-421) that binds the p53 C terminus. Anti-idiotypic antibodies to PAb-421 (sampled as monoclonal antibodies) could also bind DNA. Thus, the PAb-421 antibody mimics DNA, and the anti-idiotypic antibody to PAb-421 mimics the p53 DNA-binding site. This mimicry was functional; immunization of BALB / c mice to PAb-421 induced anti-DNA antibodies and antibodies to the C terminus of p53, and most of the mice developed an SLE-like disease. Immunization of C57BL / 6 mice to PAb-421 induced antibodies to p53, but not to its C-terminal domain. The C57BL / 6 mice also did not develop anti-DNA antibodies or the SLE-like disease. Thus, network autoimmunity to the domain of p53 that recognizes damaged DNA can be a pathogenic feature in SLE in genetically susceptible strains of mice.

The Human Cdc14 Phosphatases Interact with and Dephosphorylate the Tumor Suppressor Protein p53

The yeast Cdc14 phosphatase has been shown to play an important role in cell cycle regulation by dephosphorylating proteins phosphorylated by the cyclin-dependent kinase Cdc28/clb. We recently cloned two human orthologs of the yeast CDC14, termed hCDC14A and -B, the gene products of which share approximately 80% amino acid sequence identity within their N termini and phosphatase domains. Here we report that the hCdc14A and hCdc14B proteins interact with the tumor suppressor protein p53 both in vitro and in vivo. This interaction is dependent on the N termini of the hCdc14 proteins and the C terminus of p53. Furthermore, the hCdc14 phosphatases were found to dephosphorylate p53 specifically at the p34(Cdc2)/clb phosphorylation site (p53-phosphor-Ser(315)). Our findings that hCdc14 is a cyclin-dependent kinase substrate phosphatase suggest that it may play a role in cell cycle control in human cells. Furthermore, the identification of p53 as a substrate for hCdc14 indicates that hCdc14 may regulate the function of p53.

High Affinity Insertion/Deletion Lesion Binding by p53: EVIDENCE FOR A ROLE OF THE p53 CENTRAL DOMAIN

In addition to binding DNA in a sequence-specific manner, p53 can interact with nucleic acids in a sequence-independent manner. p53 can bind short single-stranded DNA and double-stranded DNA containing nucleotide loops; these diverse associations may be critical for p53 signal transduction. In this study, we analyzed p53 binding to DNA fragments containing insertion/deletion mismatches (IDLs). p53 required an intact central domain and dimerization domain for high affinity complex formation with IDLs. In fact, the C terminus of p53 (amino acids 293-393) was functionally replaceable with a foreign dimerization domain in IDL binding assays. From saturation binding studies we determined that the KD of p53 binding to IDLs was 45 pM as compared with a KD of 31 pM for p53 binding to DNA fragments containing a consensus binding site. Consistent with these dissociation constants, p53-IDL complexes were dissociated with relatively low concentrations of competitor consensus site-containing DNA. Although p53 has a higher affinity for DNA with a consensus site as compared with IDLs, the relative number and availability of each form of DNA in a cell immediately after DNA damage may promote p53 interaction with DNA lesions. Understanding how the sequence-specific and nonspecific DNA binding activities of p53 are integrated will contribute to our knowledge of how signaling cascades are initiated after DNA damage.

Phosphorylation of p53 Serine 15 Increases Interaction with CBP

p53 exerts its cell cycle regulatory effects through its ability to function as a sequence-specific DNA binding transcription factor. CREB-binding protein (CBP)/p300, through its interaction with the N terminus of p53, acts as a coactivator for p53 and increases the sequence-specific DNA-binding activity of p53 by acetylating its C terminus. The same N-terminal domain of p53 has recently been shown to be phosphorylated at Ser15 in response to gamma-irradiation. Remarkably, we now demonstrate that phosphorylation of p53 at Ser15 increases its ability to recruit CBP/p300. The increase in CBP/p300 binding was followed by an increase in the overall level of acetylation of the C terminus of p53. These results provide a mechanism for the activation of p53-regulated genes following DNA damage, through a signaling pathway linking p53 N-terminal kinase and C-terminal acetyltransferase activities.

Reinitiation of DNA synthesis and cell division in senescent human fibroblasts by microinjection of anti-p53 antibodies.

In human fibroblasts, growth arrest at the end of the normal proliferative life span (induction of senescence) is dependent on the activity of the tumor suppressor protein p53. In contrast, once senescence has been established, it is generally accepted that reinitiation of DNA synthesis requires loss of multiple suppressor pathways, for example, by expression of Simian virus 40 (SV40) large T antigen, and that even this will not induce complete cell cycle traverse. Here we have used microinjection of monoclonal antibodies to the N terminus of p53, PAb1801 and DO-1, to reinvestigate the effect of blocking p53 function in senescent human fibroblasts. Unexpectedly, we found that both antibodies induce senescent cells to reenter S phase almost as efficiently as SV40, accompanied by a reversion to the "young" morphology. Furthermore, this is followed by completion of the cell division cycle, as shown by the appearance of mitoses, and by a four- to fivefold increase in cell number 9 days after injection. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that expression of the p53-inducible cyclin/kinase inhibitor p21sdi1/WAF1 was greatly diminished by targeting p53 with either PAb1801 or DO-1 but remained high and, moreover, still p53 dependent in cells expressing SV40 T antigen. As previously observed for induction, the maintenance of fibroblast senescence therefore appears to be critically dependent on functional p53. We suggest that the previous failure to observe this by using SV40 T-antigen mutants to target p53 was most probably due to incomplete abrogation of p53 function.

The N terminus of the murine p53 tumour suppressor is an independent regulatory domain affecting activation and thermostability

The contribution of each of the structural domains of p53 to its function has been discussed widely in the literature. Crystallographic studies have revealed much about the structure of the core DNA binding domain, but as it has not been possible to use this approach for the intact protein, the effect of the domains flanking the core must be investigated by more indirect techniques. In this study a series of truncated murine p53 proteins has been investigated for DNA binding activity at 4°C and 37°C, transcriptional activation, and tumour suppression activity. Full-length p53, and truncations lacking the N terminus, purified from a baculovirus expression system all show latency for DNA binding; that is, they must be activated to bind by association with a C-terminal antibody such as PAb421. This demonstrates that latency for DNA binding is independent of the N terminus. Truncations lacking the C-terminal oligomerisation domain, and the isolated core domain, can only be activated to bind DNA and PAb1620 (an antibody recognising the wild-type conformation of the core domain) in the presence of cross-linking antibodies, while murine core only binds to DNA in the presence of PAb1620. An analysis of the thermostability of DNA binding revealed that antibodies that bind the N terminus of p53 could protect the protein against loss of activity at 37°C. C-terminal antibodies, however, were ineffective unless the N-terminal 37 amino acid residues were absent. The N terminus may retain some secondary structure, since it is the main contributor to the anomalous migration in SDS-polyacrylamide gels. Our results suggest that the N terminus has a destabilising effect that influences conformation of p53 at 37°C, so cellular proteins binding to the N terminus in vivo may modulate p53 conformation and stability. The effects on thermostability are also direct evidence showing that antibodies binding to N-terminal deletions create a conformational change in the rest of the molecule. In addition, longer deletions of the C terminus reduce the ability of p53 to transactivate target genes and inactivate tumour suppression activity, while truncations of the N terminus retain partial tumour suppression activity. Our results clearly show participation of both the N and C termini in the regulation of all the functions of p53 at 37°C, indicating that distinct, independent domains interact with each other within the flexible structure of p53.

Hepatitis B virus X protein and p53 tumor suppressor interactions in the modulation of apoptosis.

We have reported previously that the hepatitis B virus oncoprotein, HBx, can bind to the C terminus of p53 and inhibit several critical p53-mediated cellular processes, including DNA sequence-specific binding, transcriptional transactivation, and apoptosis. Recognizing the importance of p53-mediated apoptosis for maintaining homeostasis and preventing neoplastic transformation, here we further examine the physical interaction between HBx and p53 as well as the functional consequences of this association. In vitro binding studies indicate that the ayw and adr viral subtypes of HBx bind similar amounts of glutathione S-transferase-p53 with the distal C terminus of HBx (from residues 111 to 154) being critical for this interaction. Using a microinjection technique, we show that this same C-terminal region of HBx is necessary for sequestering p53 in the cytoplasm and abrogating p53-mediated apoptosis. The transcriptional transactivation domain of HBx also maps to its C terminus; however, a comparison of the ability of full-length and truncated HBx protein to abrogate p53-induced apoptosis versus transactivate simian virus 40- or human nitric oxide synthase-2 promoter-driven reporter constructs indicates that these two functional properties are distinct and thus may contribute to hepatocarcinogenesis differently. Collectively, our data indicate that the distal C-terminal domain of HBx, independent of its transactivation activity, complexes with p53 in the cytoplasm, partially preventing its nuclear entry and ability to induce apoptosis. These pathobiological effects of HBx may contribute to the early stages of hepatocellular carcinogenesis.

Constitutive activation of gene expression by thyroid hormone receptor results from reversal of p53-mediated repression.

Thyroid hormone receptor (T3R) is a member of the steroid hormone receptor gene family of nuclear hormone receptors. In most cells T3R activates gene expression only in the presence of its ligand, L-triiodothyronine (T3). However, in certain cell types (e.g., GH4C1 cells) expression of T3R leads to hormone-independent constitutive activation. This activation by unliganded T3R occurs with a variety of gene promoters and appears to be independent of the binding of T3R to specific thyroid hormone response elements (TREs). Previous studies indicate that this constitutive activation results from the titration of an inhibitor of transcription. Since the tumor suppresser p53 is capable of repressing a wide variety of gene promoters, we considered the possibility that the inhibitor is p53. Evidence to support this comes from studies indicating that expression of p53 blocks T3R-mediated constitutive activation in GH4C1 cells. In contrast with hormone-independent activation by T3R, p53 had little or no effect on T3-dependent stimulation which requires TREs. In addition, p53 mutants which oligomerize with wild-type p53 and interfere with its function also increase promoter activity. This enhancement is of similar magnitude to but is not additive with the stimulation mediated by unliganded T3R, suggesting that they target the same factor. Since p53 mutants are known to target wild-type p53 in the cell, this suggests that T3R also interacts with p53 in vivo and that endogenous levels of p53 act to suppress promoter activity. Evidence supporting both functional and physical interactions of T3R and p53 in the cell is presented. The DNA binding domain (DBD) of T3R is important in mediating constitutive activation, and the receptor DBD appears to functionally interact with the N terminus of p53 in the cell. In vitro binding studies indicate that the T3R DBD is important for interaction of T3R with p53 and that this interaction is reduced by T3. These findings are consistent with the in vivo studies indicating that p53 blocks constitutive activation but not ligand-dependent stimulation. These studies provide insight into mechanisms by which unliganded nuclear hormone receptors can modulate gene expression and may provide an explanation for the mechanism of action of the v-erbA oncoprotein, a retroviral homolog of chicken T3R alpha.

The apoptotic and transcriptional transactivation activities of p53 can be dissociated

Previous studies have shown that the apoptotic response of cells following DNA damage requires p53 expression. Wild-type p53 protein levels increase in response to DNA damage and its growth-suppressive action is thought to be mediated by transcriptional activation of the p21/WAF1/CIP1 gene, the product of which is a potent inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases. The mechanism by which elevated p53 levels lead to apoptosis is not known, but is believed to involve transcriptional activation of apoptotic genes, such as BAX. We have studied transformed human cells that constitutively express high levels of the R273H mutant p53, which has been reported to lack transcriptional activation activity. We used the inability to induce the p21/Waf1/Cip1 protein as a marker to verify the lack of transcriptional activation activity. Cells expressing the R273H mutant of p53 do not show an increase in p21/Waf1/Cip1 following irradiation with ionizing or UVB radiation. Surprisingly, these cells are very susceptible to induction of apoptosis by UVB radiation, as seen by the formation of a nucleosomal ladder and the proteolytic cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. This suggests that the R273 mutant p53 can function normally in apoptosis but not in transcriptional activation following DNA damage. Furthermore, an inhibitor of RNA polymerase II is a potent inducer of apoptosis in these cells, demonstrating that transcription is not required for apoptosis and suggesting that stalled RNA polymerase II complexes can initiate apoptosis. Interestingly, proteolytic cleavage of p53 occurs during apoptosis in these cells, generating a 45-kDa fragment and liberating the DNA repair helicase binding domain of p53. We propose that the peptide liberated from the carboxy terminus of p53 may contribute to its apoptotic activity, possibly through interaction with the XPB and XPD DNA helicases.

Molecular characterization of the hdm2-p53 interaction

A number of viral oncogenes target the tumour suppressor protein p53 and inactivate its function. This is an important step in tumourogenesis. The cellular oncogene hdm2 acts through a similar mechanism. It binds the N terminus of p53, thereby interfering with the ability of p53 transcriptionally to activate genes responsible for growth arrest or apoptosis after genotoxic insults. The disruption of the interaction of the two proteins therefore comprises a promising therapeutic target for treatment of the subset of human cancers in which this pathway is active.In this paper we attempt to characterize the p53-hdm2 interaction biochemically. We analyse the potential of a series of peptide inhibitors, derived from previously described mdm2 binding peptide display phage, to disrupt this interaction in ELISA assays. We conclude that F19, W23 and L26 of p53 are critical contact points for p53 binding to hdm2.Furthermore, we show the potential of the monoclonal antibody 3G5 to interfere with binding of p53 to hdm2 in ELISA assays. Consequently, we define the binding site of 3G5 on hdm2 using overlapping peptides derived from the N terminus of hdm2 and phage display libraries. The result indicates L66, Y67 and E69 on hdm2 as critical binding points for 3G5.In electrophoretic mobility shift assay we demonstrate the formation of hdm2-p53 complexes that can be disrupted in the presence of 3G5 or inhibitory peptides. Finally, we describe the effects of NEM and DTT on the interaction between the two molecules in ELISA assays.All our results are discussed in the light of the recently published crystal structure of the mdm2-p53 complex. A striking correspondence between our findings and the crystal structure is revealed.

Regulation of Mutant p53 Temperature-sensitive DNA Binding

We have examined in detail the DNA binding properties of several immunopurified tumor-derived mutant p53 proteins (Val-143 --> Ala, Arg-175 --> His, Arg-248 --> Trp, Arg-249 --> Ser, and Arg-273 --> His). While all mutants were defective for binding to DNA at 37 ;C, each bound specifically to several cognate p53 binding sites at sub-physiological temperatures (25-33 ;C), and several mutants activated transcription from a p53-responsive promoter at 26 degrees C in transfected H1299 cells. Heating mutant p53 proteins at 37 degrees C irreversibly destroyed their ability to subsequently bind at 25 degrees C. However, several different monoclonal antibodies that each share the ability to recognize an epitope encompassing amino acids 46-55 markedly stabilized binding by mutant p53 proteins at 37 degrees C. Both intact antibody and FAb fragments allowed mutant p53 to bind to DNA. By contrast, antibodies that recognize epitopes located elsewhere within p53 stabilized mutant p53 binding significantly less effectively. Our data show that the major hot-spot p53 mutants have the intrinsic ability to bind to DNA and that a unique region within the N terminus of p53 may be critical for rescuing them from loss of binding at physiological temperatures. This suggests the possibility of developing small molecules that can stabilize mutant p53 proteins under physiological conditions.