Cancer‐specific mutations in p53 induce the translation of Δ160p53 promoting tumorigenesis

Wild‐type p53 functions as a tumour suppressor while mutant p53 possesses oncogenic potential. Until now it remains unclear how a single mutation can transform p53 into a functionally distinct gene harbouring a new set of original cellular roles. Here we show that the most common p53 cancer mutants express a larger number and higher levels of shorter p53 protein isoforms that are translated from the mutated full‐length p53 mRNA. Cells expressing mutant p53 exhibit “gain‐of‐function” cancer phenotypes, such as enhanced cell survival, proliferation, invasion and adhesion, altered mammary tissue architecture and invasive cell structures. Interestingly, Δ160p53‐overexpressing cells behave in a similar manner. In contrast, an exogenous or endogenous mutant p53 that fails to express Δ160p53 due to specific mutations or antisense knock‐down loses pro‐oncogenic potential. Our data support a model in which “gain‐of‐function” phenotypes induced by p53 mutations depend on the shorter p53 isoforms. As a conserved wild‐type isoform, Δ160p53 has evolved during millions of years. We thus provide a rational explanation for the origin of the tumour‐promoting functions of p53 mutations.     

R248Q mutation—Beyond p53‐DNA binding

R248 in the DNA binding domain (DBD) of p53 interacts directly with the minor groove of DNA. Earlier nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies indicated that the R248Q mutation resulted in conformation changes in parts of DBD far from the mutation site. However, how information propagates from the mutation site to the rest of the DBD is still not well understood. We performed a series of all‐atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to dissect sterics and charge effects of R248 on p53‐DBD conformation: (i) wild‐type p53 DBD; (ii) p53 DBD with an electrically neutral arginine side‐chain; (iii) p53 DBD with R248A; (iv) p53 DBD with R248W; and (v) p53 DBD with R248Q. Our results agree well with experimental observations of global conformational changes induced by the R248Q mutation. Our simulations suggest that both charge‐ and sterics are important in the dynamics of the loop (L3) where the mutation resides. We show that helix 2 (H2) dynamics is altered as a result of a change in the hydrogen bonding partner of D281. In turn, neighboring L1 dynamics is altered: in mutants, L1 predominantly adopts the recessed conformation and is unable to interact with the major groove of DNA. We focused our attention the R248Q mutant that is commonly found in a wide range of cancer and observed changes at the zinc‐binding pocket that might account for the dominant negative effects of R248Q. Furthermore, in our simulations, the S6/S7 turn was more frequently solvent exposed in R248Q, suggesting that there is a greater tendency of R248Q to partially unfold and possibly lead to an increased aggregation propensity. Finally, based on the observations made in our simulations, we propose strategies for the rescue of R248Q mutants. Proteins 2015; 83:2240–2250. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

突变p53功能研究新进展与个性化的肿瘤治疗新策略

p53是迄今为止研究最多的一种抑癌蛋白,最新研究仍在不断地揭示p53在调控机体代谢、生殖方面的新功能。同时,也揭示了不同p53突变蛋白的获得性新功能在肿瘤发生中的促进作用。这些研究对于了解p53突变的个性化新功能,寻找再激活野生型p53,校正突变p53的新途径奠定了基础,不同突变p53蛋白的个性化治疗将是未来肿瘤治疗的热点。文章综述了已发现的一些突变p53的获得性新功能,及针对不同的p53功能缺陷进行的p53蛋白功能再激活的策略:通过小分子或多肽再激活肿瘤细胞中的p53突变蛋白的野生型功能;通过重组的腺病毒在肿瘤细胞中表达野生型p53蛋白;通过抑制MDM2与p53的相互作用稳定野生型p53蛋白。对p53不同位点突变的深入研究可以帮助我们制定更合理的个性化治疗方案,寻求更有效的肿瘤治疗新途径。     

Loss of PML cooperates with mutant p53 to drive more aggressive cancers in a gender-dependent manner

p53 mutations and downregulation of promyelocytic leukemia (PML) are common genetic alterations in human cancers. In healthy cells these two key tumor suppressors exist in a positive regulatory loop, promoting cell death and cellular senescence. However, the influence of their interplay on tumorigenesis has not been explored directly in vivo. The contribution of PML to mutant p53 driven cancer was evaluated in a mouse model harboring a p53 mutation (p53^{wild-type/R172H}) that recapitulates a frequent p53 mutation (p53^R175H) in human sporadic and Li-Fraumeni cancers. These mice with PML displayed perturbation of the hematopoietic compartment, manifested either as lymphoma or extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH). EMH was associated with peripheral blood leucocytosis and macrocytic anemia, suggestive of myeloproliferative- myelodysplastic overlap. In contrast, a complete loss of PML from these mice resulted in a marked alteration in tumor profile. While the incidence of lymphomas was unaltered, EMH was not detected and the majority of mice succumbed to sarcomas. Further, males lacking PML exhibited a high incidence of soft tissue sarcomas and reduced survival, while females largely developed osteosarcomas, without impact on survival. Together, these findings demonstrate that PML is an important tumor suppressor dictating disease development in a pertinent mouse model of human cancer.

Key Points: (1) A mutant p53 allele disrupts hematopoiesis in mice, by promoting lymphomas and myeloproliferative / myelodysplastic overlap. (2) Coincidental p53 allele mutation and PML loss shifts the tumor profile toward sarcoma formation, which is paralleled in human leiomyosarcomas (indicated by immunohistochemistry; IHC).     

Single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP)-detected p53 gene mutations are a less sensitive marker of malignancy in pleural fluids than p53 immunostaining

p53 immunostaining has been advocated as a marker of malignancy in pleural biopsies and serous fluids. The object of this study was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of p53 immunostaining for the detection of malignant cells in pleural fluids with a technique designed to detect p53 gene mutations in exons 5, 6, 7 and 8 by SSCP and nucleotide sequencing. Five out of eight pleural fluids containing adenocarcinoma showed p53 immunostaining and two of these also showed polymorphisms on SSCP and a mutation on sequencing. None of the 10 benign pleural fluids showed immunostaining for p53 or polymorphisms on SSCP. We believe that the poor sensitivity of p53 gene mutation by SSCP is mainly due to DNA from the background reactive cells 'swamping' the mutant DNA. We do not advocate its use as a diagnostic aid.     

Reactivation of mutant p53: Constraints on mechanism highlighted by principal component analysis of the DNA binding domain

Most p53 mutations associated with cancer are located in its DNA binding domain (DBD). Many structures (X‐ray and NMR) of this domain are available in the protein data bank (PDB) and a vast conformational heterogeneity characterizes the various free and complexed states. The major difference between the apo and the holo‐complexed states appears to lie in the L1 loop. In particular, the conformations of this loop appear to depend intimately on the sequence of DNA to which it binds. This conclusion builds upon recent observations that implicate the tetramerization and the C‐terminal domains (respectively TD and Cter) in DNA binding specificity. Detailed PCA analysis of the most recent collection of DBD structures from the PDB have been carried out. In contrast to recommendations that small molecules/drugs stabilize the flexible L1 loop to rescue mutant p53, our study highlights a need to retain the flexibility of the p53 DNA binding surface (DBS). It is the adaptability of this region that enables p53 to engage in the diverse interactions responsible for its functionality. Proteins 2016; 84:1443–1461. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

靶向突变p53蛋白的抗肿瘤药物

p53蛋白是人体内十分重要的肿瘤抑制因子,通过调节细胞周期阻滞、诱导细胞凋亡等作用发挥肿瘤抑制功能。突变后的p53蛋白不仅具有显性负性效应（dominant negative effect,DN）抑制野生型p53蛋白功能,而且还通过功能获得性效应（gain of function,GOF）调节细胞代谢、侵袭、迁移等方式促进肿瘤的发生。p53蛋白在超过50%的肿瘤组织中发生突变,是肿瘤细胞区别于正常细胞的一个特异性药物靶点。因此,针对突变p53蛋白开发新型抗癌药物一直是研究的热点。长期以来,由于突变p53蛋白表面较为光滑,缺乏药物结合口袋,使其被认为是一个不可成药的靶点。随着高通量筛选技术的发展以及对突变p53蛋白结构的深入了解,许多靶向突变p53蛋白的小分子化合物被报道并在体外展现出较好的抗肿瘤活性,多款基于突变p53蛋白研发的化合物已经进入临床试验阶段。本文就靶向p53蛋白治疗肿瘤的直接和间接策略进行综述,重点针对突变p53蛋白重激活剂与降解突变p53蛋白的小分子化合物作用机制进行梳理,以期为后续开发靶向突变p53蛋白药物的创新提供帮助。     

The effect of mutations on peptide models of the DNA binding helix of p53: Evidence for a correlation between structure and tumorigenesis

The tumor suppresser protein p53 has been called the “guardian of the genome.” DNA damage induces p53 to either halt the cell cycle, allowing for repair, or initiate apoptosis. P53 is mutated in over 50% of human tumors and it has been proposed that many tumorigenic mutations are deleterious to p53 because they induce local unfolding. To explore this hypothesis, peptide models have been developed to study tumorigenic mutations in the H2 helix of the p53 core domain. This helix is rich with charged residues and is a key component of the DNA binding region. A 16‐residue peptide corresponding to the H2 wild‐type sequence extended with an Ala‐rich C‐terminus was synthesized and studied by ¹H‐nmr (500 MHz) and CD. The nmr studies demonstrate that this peptide adopts helical structure in solution. Six additional peptides corresponding to subtle tumorigenic mutations were synthesized and CD was used to assess the relative stability of these “mutant analogues.” All six mutations studied are destabilizing relative to the wild type, with ΔΔG values in the range of 0.26 to 1.35 kcal mol⁻¹. Surprisingly, substitution of Asp 281 with Ala resulted in a peptide with the greatest destabilization even though Ala possesses the largest helix propensity of the common 20 amino acids. Because this helix appears to be stabilized mainly by local electrostatics, we conclude that its structure is susceptible to even the most conservative mutations. These results provide support for the hypothesis that tumorigenic mutations induce local unfolding of p53. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biopoly 49: 215–224, 1999     

Cooperative binding of tetrameric p53 to DNA

We analysed by analytical ultracentrifugation and fluorescence anisotropy the binding of p53 truncation mutants to sequence-specific DNA. The synthetic 30 base-pair DNA oligomers contained the 20 base-pair recognition elements for p53, consisting of four sites of five base-pairs per p53 monomer. We found that the binding at low ionic strengths was obscured by artifacts of non-specific binding and so made measurements at higher ionic strengths. Analytical ultracentrifugation of the construct p53CT (residues 94-360, containing the DNA-binding core and tetramerization domains) gave a dissociation constant of approximately 3 microM for its dimer-tetramer equilibrium, similar to that of full-length protein. Analytical ultracentrifugation and fluorescence anisotropy showed that p53CT formed a complex with the DNA constructs with 2:1 stoichiometry (dimer:DNA). The binding of p53CT (1-100 nm range) to DNA was highly cooperative, with a Hill coefficient of 1.8 (dimer:DNA). The dimeric L344A mutant of p53CT has impaired tetramerization. It bound to full-length DNA p53 recognition sequence, but with sixfold less affinity than wild-type protein. It did not form a detectable complex with a 30-mer DNA construct containing two specific five base-pair sites and two random sites, emphasizing the high co-operativity of the binding. The fundamental active unit of p53 appears to be the tetramer, which is induced by DNA binding, although it is a dimer at low concentrations.     

Dissecting the pathways that destabilize mutant p53: The proteasome or autophagy?

One fundamental feature of mutant forms of p53 consists in their accumulation at high levels in tumors. At least in the case of neomorphic p53 mutations, which acquire oncogenic activity, stabilization is a driving force for tumor progression. It is well documented that p53 mutants are resistant to proteasome-dependent degradation compared with wild-type p53, but the exact identity of the pathways that affect mutant p53 stability is still debated. We have recently shown that macroautophagy (autophagy) provides a route for p53 mutant degradation during restriction of glucose. Here we further show that in basal conditions of growth, inhibition of autophagy with chemical inhibitors or by downregulation of the essential autophagic genes ATG1/Ulk1, Beclin-1 or ATG5, results in p53 mutant stabilization. Conversely, overexpression of Beclin-1 or ATG1/Ulk1 leads to p53 mutant depletion. Furthermore, we found that in many cell lines, prolonged inhibition of the proteasome does not stabilize mutant p53 but leads to its autophagic-mediated degradation. Therefore, we conclude that autophagy is a key mechanism for regulating the stability of several p53 mutants. We discuss plausible mechanisms involved in this newly identified degradation pathway as well as the possible role played by autophagy during tumor evolution driven by mutant p53.