P53 Transcriptional Activity Research Articles

Russelioside A, a Pregnane Glycoside from Caralluma tuberculate, Inhibits Cell-Intrinsic NF-κB Activity and Metastatic Ability of Breast Cancer Cells.

Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) is a potential target for inflammatory-breast cancer treatment as it participates in its pathogenesis, such as tumor initiation, progression, survival, metastasis, and recurrence. In this study, we aimed to discover a novel anti-cancer treatment from natural products by targeting NF-κB activity. Using the 4T1-NFκB-luciferase reporter cell line, we tested three pregnane glycosides extracted from the herb Caralluma tuberculata and discovered that Russelioside A markedly suppressed NF-κB activity in breast cancer. Russelioside A inhibited NF-κB (p65) transcriptional activity and its phosphorylation. Following NF-κB inhibition, Russelioside A exerted anti-proliferative and anti-metastatic effects in breast cancer cells in vitro. Moreover, it inhibited the NF-κB constitutive expression of downstream pathways, such as VEGF-b, MMP-9, and IL-6 in 4T1 cells. In addition, it reduced the metastatic capacity in a 4T1 breast cancer model in vivo. Collectively, our conclusions reveal that Russelioside A is an attractive natural compound for treating triple-negative breast cancer growth and metastasis through regulating NF-κB activation.

Limonene protects human skin keratinocytes against UVB-induced photodamage and photoaging by activating the Nrf2-dependent antioxidant defense system.

Long term exposure to solar ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation is one of the primary factors of premature skin aging and is referred to as photoaging. Also, mammalian skin exposed to UVB triggers an increase in production of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), which is critically involved in the pathogenesis of hyperpigmentary skin diseases. This study investigated the protective effect of limonene on UVB-induced photodamage and photoaging in immortalized human skin keratinocytes (HaCaT) in vitro. Initially, we determined cell viability and levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells. Pretreatment with limonene increased cell viability followed by inhibition of intracellular ROS generation in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells. Interestingly, the antioxidative activity of limonene was directly correlated with an increase in expression of endogenous antioxidants, including heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO-1), and γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γ-GCLC), which was associated with enhanced nuclear translocation and activation of NF-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2). Indeed, Nrf2 knockdown reduced limonene's protective effects. Additionally, we observed that limonene treatment inhibited UVB-induced α-MSH secretion followed by inhibition of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) via suppression of p53 transcriptional activation. Moreover, limonene prevented UVB-mediated depletion of tight junction regulatory proteins, including occludin and zonula occludens-1. On the other hand, limonene treatment significantly decreased matrix metalloproteinase-2 levels in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells. Based on these results, limonene may have a dermato-protective effect in skin cells by activating the Nrf2-dependent cellular antioxidant defense system.

Administration of 4‑hexylresorcinol increases p53‑mediated transcriptional activity in oral cancer cells with the p53 mutation.

The p53 mutation is inherent in over 50% of human cancers. In head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, the p53 mutation is associated with a poor prognosis. 4-Hexylresorcinol (4HR) is a pharmacologic chaperone. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of 4HR on p53 transcriptional activity in oral carcinoma cells with p53 mutations. To identify conformational changes induced by 4HR administration, peptides including the DNA-binding domain from mutant and wild-type p53 were synthesized, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was performed. To determine the effect of 4HR on p53 mutant carcinoma cells, western blot analysis, p53 transcriptional activity analysis, MTT assay and apoptosis immunocytochemistry were performed. The YD-15 cell line has a mutation in the DNA binding domain of p53 (Glu258Ala). When p53 Ala-258 was coupled by 4HR, the p53 Ala-258 structure lost its original conformation and approached a conformation similar to that of p53 Glu-258. In the cell experiments, 4HR administration to p53 mutant cells increased p53 transcriptional activity and the expression levels of apoptosis-associated proteins such as B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2), BCL2-associated X (BAX) and BCL2-associated agonist of cell death (BAD). Accordingly, 4HR administration on YD-15 cells decreased cell viability and increased apoptosis. In conclusion, 4HR is a potential substance for use in the recovery of loss-of-function in mutant p53 as a pharmacologic chaperone.

Food-seeking behavior is triggered by skin ultraviolet exposure in males

Sexual dimorphisms are responsible for profound metabolic differences in health and behavior. Whether males and females react differently to environmental cues, such as solar ultraviolet (UV) exposure, is unknown. Here we show that solar exposure induces food-seeking behavior, food intake, and food-seeking behavior and food intake in men, but not in women, through epidemiological evidence of approximately 3,000 individuals throughout the year. In mice, UVB exposure leads to increased food-seeking behavior, food intake and weight gain, with a sexual dimorphism towards males. In both mice and human males, increased appetite is correlated with elevated levels of circulating ghrelin. Specifically, UVB irradiation leads to p53 transcriptional activation of ghrelin in skin adipocytes, while a conditional p53-knockout in mice abolishes UVB-induced ghrelin expression and food-seeking behavior. In females, estrogen interferes with the p53–chromatin interaction on the ghrelin promoter, thus blocking ghrelin and food-seeking behavior in response to UVB exposure. These results identify the skin as a major mediator of energy homeostasis and may lead to therapeutic opportunities for sex-based treatments of endocrine-related diseases.

SGLT2 inhibitor dapagliflozin attenuates cardiac fibrosis and inflammation by reverting the HIF-2α signaling pathway in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy.

Excessive cardiac fibrosis and inflammation aberrantly contribute to the progressive pathogenesis of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM). Whether sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2i), as a new hypoglycemic drug, benefits ACM remains unclear. Cardiomyocyte-specific Dsg2 exon-11 knockout and wild-type (WT) littermate mice were used as the animal model of ACM and controls, respectively. Mice were administered by gavage with either SGLT2i dapagliflozin (DAPA, 1mg/kg/day) or vehicle alone for 8 weeks. HL-1 cells were treated with DAPA to identify the molecular mechanism in vitro. All mice presented normal glucose homeostasis. DAPA not only significantly ameliorated cardiac dysfunction, adverse remodeling, and ventricular dilation in ACM but also attenuated ACM-associated cardiac fibrofatty replacement, as demonstrated by the echocardiography and histopathological examination. The protein expressions of HIF-2α and HIF-1α were decreased and increased respectively in cardiac tissue of ACM, which were compromised after DAPA treatment. Additionally, NF-κB P65 and IκB phosphorylation, as well as fibrosis indicators (including TGF-β, α-SMA, Collagen I, and Collagen III) were increased in ACM. However, these trends were markedly suppressed by DAPA treatment. Consistent with these results in vitro, DAPA alleviated the IκB phosphorylation and NF-κB p65 transcriptional activity in DSG2-knockdown HL-1 cells. Interestingly, the elective HIF-2α inhibitor PT2399 almost completely blunted the DAPA-mediated downregulation of indicators concerning cardiac fibrosis and inflammation. SGLT2i attenuated the ACM-associated cardiac dysfunction and adverse remodeling in a glucose-independent manner by suppressing cardiac fibrosis and inflammation via reverting the HIF-2α signaling pathway, suggesting that SGLT2i is a novel and available therapy for ACM.

Abstract 5288: Development of lead mutant-p53 reactivating peptides towards clinical application

Abstract p53 is the most extensively studied tumor suppressor. It serves as a major barrier against malignant transformation and the p53 pathway is inactivated in almost all human tumors. A large percentage of tumors inactivate p53 by point mutations in the DNA binding domain (DBD) of the protein. Most mutations destabilize p53 protein folding, causing its partial denaturation at physiological temperature. Thus a high proportion of human tumors overexpress a potential potent tumor suppressor in a non-functional, improperly folded form. Previously, we reported the use of phage display technology to select for peptides that reactivate mutant p53 by stabilizing a wt protein conformation, taking advantage of a unique combination of selection steps (Tal P, at al Oncotarget. 2017 Jan 3;8(1):164-178). We now describe further progress in the development of one lead peptide, pCAP-250, which contains 9 amino acids and a myristic fatty acid at its N-terminus. The pCAP-250 sequence bears 100% homology to RAD9, a known p53 interacting protein. We show physical interaction between pCAP-250 and the p53DBD. Characterization of this interaction by NMR reveals a significant chemical shift of amino acids located in the p53DBD L1 loop and Helix-2, two regions critical for p53 transcriptional activity and interaction with DNA. We also report the optimization of our lead sequence by rational design to yield more potent derivatives with higher efficacy in cancer cell elimination and longer in vivo half-life. RNA-seq analysis shows that our lead peptides induce robust activation of p53 target genes. Furthermore, we report that in addition to p53 activation, pCAP-250 also has a p53-independent anti-cancer activity. Overall, our lead peptides cause specific cell death in a wide spectrum of mutant p53 expressing cell lines, with an IC50 of 0.1-12µM, while having no effect on non-transformed cells at these concentrations. The pharmacokinetic profile of pCAP-250 and its derivatives shows that they are completely stable in human serum and have plasma half-life of 1.5-10h in vivo when administered IV or subcutaneously, presumably due to interaction with albumin through the fatty acid moiety. Remarkably, our lead peptides elicit remarkable regression of very aggressive tumors in several preclinical mouse models of renal, colon, pancreatic and ovarian cancer. In vivo efficacy can be achieved through several routes of administration, including intra-tumor injection as well as systemic subcutaneous continuous slow release and subcutaneous bi-daily injections. Thus, such peptides might serve as novel therapeutic agents for p53-mutated human cancer. Citation Format: Perry Tal, Moshe Oren, Orna Palgi, Varda Rotter, KWANGIL JEONG. Development of lead mutant-p53 reactivating peptides towards clinical application [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 5288.

Abstract 1174: Exploration of MDM2 gene amplification, co-mutation status, and prognosis in solid tumors

Abstract Loss of p53 tumor suppressor function is critical for many cancers and is achieved by mutation in ~50% of tumors, but may occur through additional mechanisms. MDM2 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase whose primary function is to inhibit p53 activity by impeding p53 transcriptional activity, promoting nuclear export, and inducing p53 degradation. The use of investigational MDM2 inhibitors such as milademetan (RAIN-32) may provide a therapeutic strategy for select tumors with wildtype (WT) TP53. Gene amplification (amp) represents a mechanism for cancer cells to upregulate expression of critical cancer related genes and can serve as a predictive biomarker for targeted therapies. Previous work established a gene copy number (CN) threshold of ≥ 12 for the MANTRA-2 basket study of milademetan in advanced solid tumors (Tirunagaru et al., AACR-NCI-EORTC 2021). We used publicly available AACR-GENIE data and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to explore MDM2 amp in relation to TP53 status and other genetic biomarkers across solid tumors. MDM2 amp occurs in most cancer types, with the most frequent rates of MDM2 amp occurring in sarcomas, bladder, hepatobiliary, non-small cell lung cancer, gastric/esophageal, breast, and melanoma cancers. MDM2 was mutually exclusive of TP53 mutations at CN ≥ 12 with OR = 0.21 (p = 5.3 x 10-8). Tumors with WT TP53 and MDM2 CN ≥ 12 comprised 1.19% of all solid tumors in the TCGA (n=9,090) and 1.22% in the AACR-Genie dataset (n=42,125). The MDM2 and CDK4 genes are located on chromosome 12q13-15 and these genes are frequently co-amplified in LPS and other sarcomas; however, MDM2 and CDK4 co-amp is variable in other tumors with less frequent co-amp occurring in NSCLC and melanoma and rare co-amp occurring in bladder, breast cancer and gastro-esophageal tumors, particularly at MDM2 CN ≥ 12. We also evaluated co-mutations in known oncogenes (filtered for oncogenic variants using cancerhotspots.org) in tumors with MDM2 CN ≥ 4. Co-alteration of MDM2 amp in this group of tumors was <15% for all MDM2 amp tumors and did not vary significantly with increasing MDM2 CN. OS survival analysis revealed that prognosis for patients with all levels of MDM2 amp was worse compared to non-amp tumors and OS at MDM2 CN ≥ 12 [41.7 months(m)] was similar to tumors harboring TP53 mutations (55.0m) as compared to patients with tumors harboring WT TP53 and MDM2 CN <12 (118.8m). In conclusion, MDM2 amp was mutually exclusive of TP53 mutations at CN ≥ 12 and occurred in 1.2% of all cancers and occurred across multiple tumor types, supportive of a tumor agnostic therapeutic strategy for milademetan. CDK4 was not co-amplified with MDM2 in many tumor types and oncogenic alterations occurred infrequently with MDM2 amp. MDM2 amp was associated with a poor prognosis consistent with an unmet need in these cancer patients. The MANTRA-2 trial evaluating milademetan in patients with solid tumors harboring MDM2 CN ≥ 12 and WT TP53 is currently enrolling patients (NCT05012397). Citation Format: Vijaya G. Tirunagaru, Feng Xu, Robert C. Doebele. Exploration of MDM2 gene amplification, co-mutation status, and prognosis in solid tumors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 1174.

Abstract 1295: Small molecule reactivators of Y220C mutant p53 modulate tumor infiltrating leukocytes and synergize with immune checkpoint inhibitors

Abstract Half of human cancers possess mutations in the TP53 gene, with most clustering as hotspots in the DNA binding domain. A tyrosine to cysteine substitution at amino acid 220 of the p53 protein (Y220C) is one such hotspot mutation (~1% of all solid tumors). Small molecules that reactivate Y220C mutant p53 activity to be like wild type have been developed at PMV Pharmaceuticals and the lead compound PC14586 is in Phase I clinical development. The molecules were designed to bind tightly to a crevice within the Y220C p53 mutant protein and stabilize it to a wild type conformation allowing reactivation of p53 transcriptional activity and expression of target proteins (e.g. p21, MDM2), resulting in tumor regression in Y220C p53 mutant xenograft models grown in immunocompromised mice. p53 has been documented to contribute to immune responses by activating regulators of immune signaling pathways and to result in T-cell exclusion in tumor models. To investigate the role of p53 and the immune system in tumorigenesis, a Y220C human p53 knock-in (HUPKI) mouse was generated. Mice that are homozygous mutant for the Y220C humanized alleles succumbed to lymphomas and sarcomas within 6 months and cell lines generated from these tumors were shown to be sensitive in an in vitro proliferation assay to Y220C p53 reactivators (IC50 ~ 192-722 nM) and used to generate Y220C mutant syngeneic mouse models. Administration of Y220C p53 reactivators in Y220C p53 syngeneic mouse models resulted in a dose responsive anti-tumor effect, with maximally efficacious doses resulting in durable cures in nearly all animals, more than observed in immunocompromised mouse models. Addition of checkpoint agents with sub-efficacious administration of Y220C reactivating compounds resulted in synergistic increases in mean survival time of mice, longer than with either single agent. Immunophenotyping analysis of HUPKI Y220C mutant tumors exposed to p53 reactivator compounds showed modulation of the tumor immune environment. Changes include dose responsive increases in T-cells (CD4+, CD8+), T-regulatory cells, natural killer T cells and dose responsive decreases in macrophages (M2) and g-MDSC cells. The synergy observed with an anti-PD-1 combination appears driven by an increase in CD8+ T cells, given a decrease in efficacy in mice depleted of CD8+ T cells, following exposure to anti-CD8. Further investigation into the role of Y220C p53 reactivation in immune modulation showed decreased cytokines and chemokines involved in inflammation (i.e. CXCL10, Ccl2) and an increase in a Tumor Inflammation Signature (nanoString) in a dose and time dependent manner. Taken together, these data suggest a role for p53 signaling in encouraging an immunologically hot tumor microenvironment and provide support for testing small molecule reactivators of mutant p53 in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Citation Format: Anna M. Puzio-Kuter, Chris Mulligan, Brandon Russo, Amy Wiebesiek, Lizhong Xu, Hong Yang, Binh Vu, Melissa Dumble. Small molecule reactivators of Y220C mutant p53 modulate tumor infiltrating leukocytes and synergize with immune checkpoint inhibitors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 1295.

Abstract 5723: JDP2 interacts with p53 and enhances p53 transactivation and stability

Abstract USAAP-1 protein mainly consists of proteins belonging to c-Jun, c-Fos, activating transcription factor (ATF), and Jun dimerization protein (JDP) family. In addition to AP-1 site, JDP2 also binds to cAMP responsive element (CRE) site in numerous cis-elements of the target genes. JDP2 has been shown to be involved in cancer development and cell-cycle regulation, suppression of adipocyte differentiation, and controlling bone homeostasis and antibacterial immunity. ATF3 and JDP2 share high similarity in C-terminal domains with identities of 65%. Previous studies have demonstrated that ATF3 can bind to p53 and regulate p53 transcriptional activity and stability. Though couple of studies have shown that JDP2 inhibits expression of p53 and p53 represses the transcriptional activity of JDP2 promoter; however, whether JDP2 directly interacts and regulates p53 transactivation remains largely unknown. Herein, we demonstrate for the first time that JDP2 can directly interact with p53. First, we found that both ATF3 and JDP2 can bind to p53 and the C-terminus of JDP2 is required for p53 binding. Secondly, in p53-null H1299 cells, JDP2 dose-dependently enhances p53 transactivation using p53RE-Luc (14X). Moreover, we demonstrated that JDP2 dose-dependently decreases p53 protein level in consistence with the previous reports. Finally, JDP2 increases p53 stability in CHX chase experiments. Taken together, our results demonstrate that JDP2 directly binds to p53 and enhances p53 transactivation and stability, suggesting that JDP2 is a novel regulator of p53. Citation Format: Wei-Hsiung Yang, Kasey Price, Leticia Cardoso, William Yang, Chiung-Min Wang, Richard Yang. JDP2 interacts with p53 and enhances p53 transactivation and stability [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 5723.

First-in-human study of PC14586, a small molecule structural corrector of Y220C mutant p53, in patients with advanced solid tumors harboring a TP53 Y220C mutation.

3003 Background: The p53 tumor suppressor protein is a transcription factor that acts to maintain genome stability in response to cellular stress. Spontaneous mutation of the TP53 gene leading to inactivation of the p53 protein is the most common mutational event across all human cancers. PC14586 is a novel, small molecule structural corrector that binds selectively to p53 Y220C mutant protein and restores the p53 wildtype conformation and transcriptional activity, resulting in potent preclinical antitumor activity. This Phase 1 multicenter dose escalation study assesses PC14586 safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD) and preliminary efficacy in patients (pts) with advanced solid tumors that harbor the TP53 Y220C mutation. Methods: Eligible adult pts with locally advanced or metastastic TP53 Y220C mutant solid tumors received increasing doses of oral PC14586 using the modified Toxicity Probability Interval design to estimate toxicity and to determine maximum tolerated dose and recommended phase 2 dose. Plasma PK was characterized using standard methods. Preliminary efficacy was assessed by RECIST v1.1. Reporting of interim results was approved by the study’s Safety Review Committee. Results: As of 08 Feb 2022, 29 pts (62% female, median age 62 years) with a variety of TP53 Y220C mutant solid tumor types (median number of prior lines of therapy 3; range 1 to 8) were treated in 7 dose cohorts of PC14586: 150 mg QD (3 pts), 300 mg QD (3 pts), 600 mg QD (4 pts), 1150 mg QD (5 pts), 2000 mg QD (7 pts), 2500 mg QD (4 pts) and 1500 mg BID (3 pts). PC14586 was generally well-tolerated; treatment-related AEs were observed in 79% of pts that were all Grade 1/2 in severity except 2 Grade 3 AEs (alanine aminotransferase increased and neutrophil count decreased). The most common AEs (≥15% of pts) were nausea (34%), vomiting (24%), fatigue (21%), and aspartate aminotransferase increased (17%). There were no dose limiting toxicities and enrollment continues. PK analysis showed dose proportional increases in Cmax and AUC. Amongst 21 efficacy evaluable pts, PRs were observed in 5 pts: 1 small cell lung and 1 breast with confirmed PR (cPR), both ongoing; 1 colorectal with unconfirmed PR (uPR), and 2 prostate with uPR and ongoing. In the 3 highest dose cohorts (total daily dose 2000 to 3000 mg), there were 3 PRs (2 uPR, 1cPR) and 7 SD out of 10 efficacy evaluable pts (all ongoing). Observations of decreasing p53 Y220C circulating tumor DNA and decreasing numbers of circulating tumor cells in pts further support on-target anti-tumor activity of PC14586. Conclusions: Enrollment to a Phase 1 study is feasible in a TP53 mutation selective population. PC14586 is safe and tolerated up to 3000 mg daily. Preliminary efficacy was achieved in heavily pretreated pts. Additional safety, PK, PD and efficacy data will be reported at the annual meeting. Clinical trial information: NCT04585750.

Comparative modeling, comparative molecular docking analyses, and revealing of potential binding pockets of MDM-2: A candidate cancer gene

MDM-2 is also known as E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase encoded by Mdm-2. MDM-2 is an important negative regulator of p53 tumor suppressor and performs key function as an inhibitor of p53 transcriptional activation and E3 ubiquitin ligase. MDM-2 also plays significant role in human cancers and therapeutic target. Hundred different structures were predicted through comparative modeling, threading and ab initio approaches followed by the evaluation of predicted structures through various evaluation tools including ERRAT, ProSa-web, Rampage, molprobidity, verify3D and Anolea. The selected 3D structure of MDM-2 showed 13 α- helix chains, 2 β-pleated sheets along with 97.4468% overall quality factor of the predicted structure. Interestingly, it was observed that only 4.5% residues were present in outlier region and the observed errors were fixed. Moreover, 91.1% residues of the selected structure were present in favored region and 8.9% in allowed region having -6.0 Z-score. High throughput virtual screening and comparative molecular docking studies was performed. Four novel compounds have been reported that showed minimum binding energy (-8.1 Kcal/mol) and maximum binding affinity against MDM-2. Molecular docking analyses revealed that Ser154, Arg155, Pro156, Ser157, Lys185, Ser186, Ser188, Ser190, Ile189, Val247, Glu257, Asp173, Glu174, Glu178, Arg161, Ard181, Lys182, Arg183 and His184 residues are significant residues for therapeutic drug targets. The reported compounds showed effective energy scores. In addition, the site-directed mutagenesis may be helpful for further analyses. The reported compounds may act like potent drug compounds against MDM-2.

RNA-Seq Transcriptome Analysis of Differentiated Human Oligodendrocytic MO3.13 Cells Shows Upregulation of Genes Involved in Myogenesis.

In this work, we examined the differentiation of oligodendrocytic MO3.13 cells and changes in their gene expression after treatment with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, PMA, or with RNA polymerase I (Pol I) inhibitor, CX-5461. We found that MO3.13 cells changed their morphology when treated with both agents. Interestingly, CX-5461, but not PMA, induced noticeable changes in the integrity of the nucleoli. Then, we analyzed the p53 transcriptional activity in MO3.13 cells and found that it was increased in both cell populations, but particularly in cells treated with PMA. Interestingly, this high p53 transcriptional activity in PMA-treated cells coincided with a lower level of an unmodified (non-phosphorylated) form of this protein. Since morphological changes in MO3.13 cells after PMA and CX-5461 treatment were evident, suggesting that cells were induced to differentiate, we performed RNA-seq analysis of PMA-treated cells, to reveal the direction of alterations in gene expression. The analysis showed that the largest group of upregulated genes consisted of those involved in myogenesis and K-RAS signaling, rather than those associated with oligodendrocyte lineage progression.

BAP1 phosphorylation-mediated Sp1 stabilization plays a critical role in cathepsin K inhibition-induced C-terminal p53-dependent Bax upregulation

Cathepsin K inhibitor (odanacatib; ODN) and cathepsin K knockdown (siRNA) enhance oxaliplatin-induced apoptosis through p53-dependent Bax upregulation. However, its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we elucidated the mechanism behind enhancement of oxaliplatin-induced apoptosis by ODN. We also investigated the molecular mechanisms of ODN-induced Bax upregulation. Here, we demonstrated that ODN-induced Bax upregulation required p53, but it was independent of p53 transcriptional activity. Various mutants of the DNA-binding domain of p53 induced Bax upregulation in ODN-treated cells. p53 functional domain analysis showed that the C-terminal domain of p53 participates in the physical interaction and stabilization of Sp1, a major transcription factor of Bax. We screened a specific siRNA encoding 50 deubiquitinases and identified that BAP1 stabilizes Sp1. The knockdown or catalytic mutant form of BAP1 abolished the ODN-induced upregulation of Sp1 and Bax expression. Mechanistically, ODN induced BAP1 phosphorylation and enhanced Sp1-BAP1 interaction, resulting in Sp1 ubiquitination and degradation. Interestingly, ODN-induced BAP1 phosphorylation and DNA damage were modulated by the production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS). Mitochondrial ROS scavengers prevented DNA damage, BAP1-mediated Sp1 stabilization, and Bax upregulation by ODN. BAP1 downregulation by siRNA inhibited apoptosis induced by the combined treatment of ODN and oxaliplatin/etoposide. Therefore, Sp1 is a crucial transcription factor for ODN-induced Bax upregulation, and Sp1 stabilization is regulated by BAP1.

1H, 15N and 13C backbone resonance assignments of the acidic domain of the human MDMX protein.

The human MDMX protein, also known as MDM4, plays a pivotal role in regulating the activity of the tumor suppressor protein p53 by restricting p53 transcriptional activity and stimulating the E3 ubiquitin ligase activity of another key regulatory protein, MDM2, to promote p53 degradation. MDMX is ubiquitously expressed in most tissue types and overexpression of MDMX has been implicated in many forms of cancer. MDMX has been shown to require an intact N-terminal p53-binding domain and C-terminal RING domain to exert inhibitory effects on p53. The presence of a tryptophan-rich sequence in the central acidic domain of MDMX has also been implicated in regulating the interaction between MDMX and p53, directly interacting with the p53 DNA-binding domain. To date, little structural information has been obtained for this acidic region of MDMX that encompasses the Trp-rich sequence. In order to gain insight into the structure and function of this region, we have carried out solution-state NMR spectroscopy studies utilizing the segment of MDMX spanning residues 181-300-with bounds specifically chosen through multiple sequence alignment-which encompasses nearly 25% of MDMX. Here, we report the 1H, 15N and 13C backbone chemical shift assignments of the acidic domain of MDMX and show that it exhibits hallmarks of intrinsic disorder and localized variation in inferred secondary structure propensity.

Compound cellular stress maximizes apoptosis independently of p53 in glioblastoma

ABSTRACT We examined the apoptotic response of two glioblastoma cells, p53 wild type U87 and p53 mutated T98G, to doxorubicin, bortezomib, and vorinostat, which respectively target DNA, 26S proteasome and histone deacetylase, to clarify p53ʹs function in apoptosis. We demonstrated that doxorubicin induced apoptosis in U87 cells but not in T98G cells. The level of p53 was definitively correlated to the extent of DNA damage and apoptosis initiation. Dominant-negative p53 reduced p21 expression, but did not affect doxorubicin-induced apoptosis, so the transcriptional activity of p53 seemed not to participate in doxorubicin-induced apoptosis. However, p53 concentrated into the nucleus during heavy apoptosis. Bortezomib could induce apoptosis in U87 with high sensitivity and T98G cells with low sensitivity. In contrast, vorinostat promoted apoptosis in both U87 and T98G cells and reduced the basal level of p53 in U87 cells, indicating that p53 played no role in the vorinostat-induced apoptosis. To clearly define the role of p53 in bortezomib- and doxorubicin-induced apoptosis, we combined doxorubicin with bortezomib to treat U87 cells to assess this combination’s effect on apoptosis and p53 status. Interestingly, the combination of doxorubicin with bortezomib engendered compound stress, resulting in a synergistic outcome for apoptosis in U87 cells. However, the amounts of p53 in the total count and in the nucleus were much lower with the combination than with doxorubicin alone, suggesting that p53 played no role in either the compound stress, doxorubicin-only or bortezomib-induced apoptosis.

ZNF498 promotes hepatocellular carcinogenesis by suppressing p53-mediated apoptosis and ferroptosis via the attenuation of p53 Ser46 phosphorylation

BackgroundDysfunctional p53 signaling is one of the major causes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumorigenesis and development, but the mechanisms underlying p53 inactivation in HCC have not been fully clarified. The role of Krüppel-associated box (KRAB)-type zinc-finger protein ZNF498 in tumorigenesis and the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood.MethodsClinical HCC samples were used to assess the association of ZNF498 expression with clinicopathological characteristics and patient outcomes. A mouse model in which HCC was induced by diethylnitrosamine (DEN) was used to explore the role of ZNF498 in HCC initiation and progression. ZNF498 overexpression and knockdown HCC cell lines were employed to examine the effects of ZNF498 on cellular proliferation, apoptosis, ferroptosis and tumor growth. Western blotting, immunoprecipitation, qPCR, luciferase assays and flow cytometry were also conducted to determine the underlying mechanisms related to ZNF498 function.ResultsZNF498 was found to be highly expressed in HCC, and increased ZNF498 expression was positively correlated with advanced pathological grade and poor survival in HCC patients. Furthermore, ZNF498 promoted DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis and progression in mice. Mechanistically, ZNF498 directly interacted with p53 and suppressed p53 transcriptional activation by inhibiting p53 Ser46 phosphorylation. ZNF498 competed with p53INP1 for p53 binding and suppressed PKCδ- and p53INP1-mediated p53 Ser46 phosphorylation. In addition, functional assays revealed that ZNF498 promoted liver cancer cell growth in vivo and in vitro in a p53-dependent manner. Moreover, ZNF498 inhibited p53-mediated apoptosis and ferroptosis by attenuating p53 Ser46 phosphorylation.ConclusionsOur results strongly suggest that ZNF498 suppresses apoptosis and ferroptosis by attenuating p53 Ser46 phosphorylation in hepatocellular carcinogenesis, revealing a novel ZNF498-PKCδ-p53INP1-p53 axis in HCC cells that would enrich the non-mutation p53-inactivating mechanisms in HCC.

Enterobacteria impair host p53 tumor suppressor activity through mRNA destabilization

Increasing evidence highlights the role of bacteria in the physiopathology of cancer. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remains poorly understood. Several cancer-associated bacteria have been shown to produce toxins which interfere with the host defense against tumorigenesis. Here, we show that lipopolysaccharides from Klebsiella pneumoniae and other Enterobacteria strongly inhibit the host tumor suppressor p53 pathway through a novel mechanism of p53 regulation. We found that lipopolysaccharides destabilize TP53 mRNA through a TLR4-NF-κB-mediated inhibition of the RNA-binding factor Wig-1. Importantly, we show that K. pneumoniae disables two major tumor barriers, oncogene-induced DNA damage signaling and senescence, by impairing p53 transcriptional activity upon DNA damage and oncogenic stress. Furthermore, we found an inverse correlation between the levels of TLR4 and p53 mutation in colorectal tumors. Hence, our data suggest that the repression of p53 by Enterobacteria via TLR4 alleviates the selection pressure for p53 oncogenic mutations and shapes the genomic evolution of cancer.

Role of ATP-dependent chromatin remodelers in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell maintenance.

ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling factors utilize energy from ATP hydrolysis to modulate DNA-histone structures and regulate gene transcription. They are essential during hematopoiesis and for hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) function. This review discusses the recently unveiled roles of these chromatin remodelers in HSPC regulation, with an emphasis on the mechanism of chromodomain helicase DNA-binding (CHD) family members. Recent studies of ATP-dependent chromatin remodelers have revealed that individual CHD family members engage in distinct mechanisms in regulating HSPC cell fate. For example, CHD8 is required for HSPC survival by restricting both P53 transcriptional activity and protein stability in steady state hematopoiesis while the related CHD7 physically interacts with RUNX family transcription factor 1 (RUNX1) and suppresses RUNX1-induced expansion of HSPCs during blood development. Moreover, other CHD subfamily members such as CHD1/CHD2 and CHD3/CHD4, as well as the switch/sucrose non-fermentable, imitation SWI, and SWI2/SNF2 related (SWR) families of chromatin modulators, have also been found important for HSPC maintenance by distinct mechanisms. The expanding knowledge of ATP-dependent chromatin remodelers in hematopoiesis illustrates their respective critical roles in HSPC maintenance including the regulation of HSPC differentiation, survival, and self-renewal. Further studies are warranted to elucidate how different chromatin remodeling complexes are integrated in various HSPC cell fate decisions during steady-state and stress hematopoiesis.

Loss of the E6AP Ubiquitin Ligase Induces p53-Dependent Phosphorylation of Human Papillomavirus 18 E6 in Cells Derived from Cervical Cancer.

Cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV) E6 oncoproteins contain a well-characterized phosphoacceptor site within the PDZ (PSD-95/Dlg/ZO-1) binding motif (PBM) at the C terminus of the protein. Previous studies have shown that the threonine or serine residue in the E6 PBM is subject to phosphorylation by several stress-responsive cellular kinases upon the induction of DNA damage in cervical cancer-derived cells. However, there is little information about the regulation of E6 phosphorylation in the absence of DNA damage and whether there may be other pathways by which E6 is phosphorylated. In this study, we demonstrate that loss of E6AP results in a dramatic increase in the levels of phosphorylated E6 (pE6) despite the expected overall reduction in total E6 protein levels. Furthermore, phosphorylation of E6 requires transcriptionally active p53 and occurs in a manner that is dependent upon DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA PK). These results identify a novel feedback loop, where loss of E6AP results in upregulation of p53, leading to increased levels of E6 phosphorylation, which in turn correlates with increased association with 14-3-3 and inhibition of p53 transcriptional activity. IMPORTANCE This study demonstrates that the knockdown of E6AP from cervical cancer-derived cells leads to an increase in phosphorylation of the E6 oncoprotein. We show that this phosphorylation of E6 requires p53 transcriptional activity and the enzyme DNA PK. This study therefore defines a feedback loop whereby activation of p53 can induce phosphorylation of E6 and which in turn can inhibit p53 transcriptional activity independently of E6's ability to target p53 for degradation.

MARK2 potentiate aerobic glycolysis‐mediated cell growth in breast cancer through regulating mTOR/HIF‐1α and p53 pathways

The microtubule-affinity regulating kinases (MARKs) family plays a crucial role in regulating breast cancer development and progression. However, its precise function and the relevant molecular mechanism in breast cancer have not yet been elucidated. In this study, analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data revealed that MARK2 expression was markedly upregulated in breast cancer tissues, and high expression of MARK2 was correlated with poor survival. Functional assays showed that MARK2 deletion or inhibition suppressed aerobic glycolysis and cell growth as well as induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, MARK2 stimulates mTOR-mediated hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α) transcription activity and represses p53-transcription activity in breast cancer cells. TCGA data revealed that MARK2 expression was positively correlated with mTOR, Raptor, S6K1, glucose transporter 1, lactate dehydrogenase, HIF-1α, and 4E-BP1 expression, whereas negatively correlated with p53, p21, and Bax in breast cancer tissue. Conclusively, our study demonstrated that MARK2 promotes breast cancer aerobic glycolysis and cell proliferation, and inhibits apoptosis, in part, through regulating mTOR/HIF-1α and p53 signaling pathways. Overall, these findings point to the potential of targeting MARK2 for breast cancer treatment.