The lack of G1/S arrest of teratocarcinoma F9 cells is determinated by degradation of cyclin-dependent kinases inhibitor p21waf1/cip1

We have studied the ability of F9 teratocarcinoma cells to arrest in G1/S and G2/M checkpoints following gamma-irradiation. Wild-type p53 protein is rapidly accumulated in F9 cells after gamma-irradiation, however this is not followed by G1/S arrest; there is just a reversible delay of the cell cycle in G2/M. In order to elucidate the reasons of the lack of G1/S arrest in F9 cells we investigated the levels of regulatory cell cycle proteins: G1-cyclins, cyclin dependent kinases and kinase inhibitor p21WAF1/CIP1. We have shown that in spite of p53-dependent activation of p21WAF1/CIP1 promoter, p21WAF1/CIP1 protein is not revealed by different polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, either by immunoblotting or by immunofluorescent staining. However, when cells are treated with specific proteasome inhibitor lactacystin, p21WAF1/CIP1 protein is revealed. We therefore suggest that p21WAF1/CIP1 protein is subjected to proteasome degradation in F9 cells and probably the lack of G1/S arrest after gamma-irradiation is due to this degradation. Thus, it is the combination of functionally active p53 with low level expression of p21WAF1/CIP1 that causes a short delay of the cell cycle progression in G2/M, rather than the G1-arrest after gamma-irradiation of F9 cells.     

T-cadherin-mediated cell growth regulation involves G2 phase arrest and requires p21(CIP1/WAF1) expression

Members of the cadherin family have been implicated as growth regulators in multiple tumor types. Based on recent studies from our laboratory implicating T-cadherin expression in mouse brain tumorigenesis, we examined the role of T-cadherin in astrocytoma growth regulation. In this report, we show that T-cadherin expression increased during primary astrocyte physiologic growth arrest in response to contact inhibition and serum starvation in vitro, suggesting a function for T-cadherin in astrocyte growth regulation. We further demonstrate that transient and stable reexpression of T-cadherin in deficient C6 glioma cell lines results in growth suppression. In addition, T-cadherin-expressing C6 cell lines demonstrated increased homophilic cell aggregation, increased cell attachment to fibronectin, and decreased cell motility. Cell cycle flow cytometry demonstrated that T-cadherin reexpression resulted in G2 phase arrest, which was confirmed by mitotic index analysis. This growth arrest was p53 independent, as T-cadherin could still mediate growth suppression in p53(-/-) mouse embryonic fibroblasts. T-cadherin-expressing C6 cell lines exhibited increased p21(CIP1/WAF1), but not p27(Kip1), expression. Lastly, T-cadherin-mediated growth arrest was dependent on p21(CIP1/WAF1) expression and was eliminated in p21(CIP1/WAF1)-deficient fibroblasts. Collectively, these observations suggest a novel mechanism of growth regulation for T-cadherin involving p21(CIP1/WAF1) expression and G2 arrest.     

Increased stability of P21(WAF1/CIP1) mRNA is required for ROS/ERK-dependent pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell growth inhibition by pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate

We present evidence that pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) inhibits growth of p53-negative pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines via cell cycle arrest in the S-phase, while it has no effect on primary fibroblast proliferation. Growth inhibition of cancer cells is dependent on ROS and ERK1/2 induction as indicated by a significantly reduced PDTC-associated growth inhibition by the free radical scavenger N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) or the MEK/ERK1/2 inhibitor (PD98059). Moreover, ERK1/2 induction is dependent on ROS production as demonstrated by a complete removal of PDTC-mediated ERK1/2 phosphorylation by NAC. p21(WAF1/CIP1) activation has a central role in growth inhibition by PDTC, as revealed by P21(WAF1/CIP1) silencing experiments with antisense oligonucleotide, and occurs via increased mRNA stability largely mediated by ROS/ERK induction. Conversely, PDTC does not affect P21(WAF1/CIP1) gene expression in primary fibroblasts, although it is able to activate p53 and the p53-regulated antioxidant SESN2. These results suggest that the resistance of fibroblasts to the cytotoxic action of PDTC may be related to the up-regulation of p53-dependent antioxidant genes. Finally, in vivo studies on PaCa44 cells subcutaneously xenografted in nude mice show that treatment with 100 or 200 mg/kg PDTC reduces of 30% or 60% the tumour volume, respectively, and does not cause any apparent form of toxicity.     

Induction of apoptosis in p53-deficient human hepatoma cell line by wild-type p53 gene transduction: inhibition by antioxidant

We investigated the role of wild-type (wt)-p53 as an inducer of apoptotic cell death in human hepatoma cell lines. Following the retrovirus-mediated transduction of the wt-p53 gene, Hep3B cells lacking the endogenous p53 expression began to die through apoptosis in 4 h. They showed a maximal apoptotic death at 12 h, whereas HepG2 cells expressing endogenous p53 did not. However, the transduction of the wt-p53 gene elicited growth suppression of both Hep3B and HepG2 cells. P21(WAF1/CIP1), a p53-inducible cell cycle inhibitor, was induced, not only in Hep3B cells undergoing apoptosis, but also in HepG2 cells. The kinetics of the p21(WAF1/CIP1) induction, DNA fragmentation, and growth suppression of the Hep3B cells showed that DNA fragmentation and growth suppression progressed rapidly following p21(WAF1/CIP1) accumulation. N-acetyl-cysteine or glutathione, potent antioxidants, strongly inhibited the DNA fragmentation, but did not reduce the elevated level of p21(WAF1/CIP1). These findings suggested that p21(WAF1/CIP1) was not a critical mediator for the execution of p53-mediated apoptosis, although it contributed to the growth inhibition of cells undergoing apoptosis. Furthermore, p53-mediated apoptosis could be repressed by antioxidants.     

Dissociation of bone morphogenetic protein-mediated growth arrest and apoptosis of mouse B cells by HPV-16 E6/E7

We have previously found that bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), a member of the transforming growth factor-beta family, induces cell-cycle arrest in the G1 phase and apoptotic cell death of HS-72 mouse hybridoma cells. In this study, we show that BMP-2 did not alter expression of cyclin D, cyclin E, cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), CDK4, p27KIP1, p16INK4a, or p15INK4b, but enhanced expression of p21(CIP1/WAF1). Accumulation of p21(CIP1/WAF1) resulted in increased binding of p21(CIP1/WAF1) to CDK4 and concomitantly caused a profound decrease in the in vitro retinoblastoma protein (Rb) kinase activity of CDK4. Furthermore, the ectopic expression of human papilloma virus type-16 E7, an inhibitor of p21(CIP1/WAF1) and Rb, reverted G1 arrest induced by BMP-2. Expression of E6/E7, without increasing the p53 level, blocked inhibition of Rb phosphorylation and G1 arrest, but did not attenuate cell death in BMP-treated HS-72 cells. Taken together, these results suggest that inhibition of Rb phosphorylation by p21(CIP1/WAF1) is responsible for BMP-2-mediated G1 arrest and that BMP-2-induction of apoptosis might be independent of Rb hypophosphorylation.     

The p21(WAF1/CIP1) promoter is methylated in Rat-1 cells: stable restoration of p53-dependent p21(WAF1/CIP1) expression after transfection of a genomic clone containing the p21(WAF1/CIP1) gene

Rat-1 cells are used in many studies on transformation, cell cycle, and apoptosis. Whereas UV treatment of Rat-1 cells results in apoptosis, X-ray treatment does not induce either apoptosis or a cell cycle block. X-ray treatment of Rat-1 cells results in both an increase of p53 protein and expression of the p53-inducible gene MDM2 but not the protein or mRNA of the p53-inducible p21(WAF1/CIP1) gene, which in other cells plays an important role in p53-mediated cell cycle block. The lack of p21(WAF1/CIP1) expression appears to be the result of hypermethylation of the p21(WAF1/CIP1) promoter region, as p21(WAF1/CIP1) protein expression could be induced by growth of Rat-1 cells in the presence of 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine. Furthermore, sequence analysis of bisulfite-treated DNA demonstrated extensive methylation of cytosine residues in CpG dinucleotides in a CpG-rich island in the promoter region of the p21(WAF1/CIP1) gene. Stable X-ray-induced p53-dependent p21(WAF1/CIP1) expression and cell cycle block were restored to a Rat-1 clone after transfection with a P1 artificial chromosome (PAC) DNA clone containing a rat genomic copy of the p21(WAF1/CIP1) gene. The absence of expression of the p21(WAF1/CIP1) gene may contribute to the suitability of Rat-1 cells for transformation, cell cycle, and apoptosis studies.     

视黄酸对胃癌细胞周期的调控

Retinoic acid can induce growth inhibition and apoptosis, and regulate cell cycle in many types of cancer cell lines. In this study, we investigated the role of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and its mechanism of action in human gastric cancer cell lines. Our results demonstrated that ATRA effectively inhibited growth in three of four gastric cancer cell lines by induction of G0/G1 arrest, and did not induce apoptosis in four gastric cancer cell lines. In RA-sensitive cell lines, ATRA-induced G0/G1 arrest is associated with down regulaton of c-myc and hyperphosphorylated Rb expression, and up regulation of p21WAF1/CIP1 and p53 expression. There were no significant changes in cyclin D1 or CDK4 expression induced by ATRA. Futhermore, expression of these genes were not regulated by ATRA in ATRA-resistant gastric cancer cell line. These results indicate that growth inhibition, rather than apoptosis, is correlated with G0/G1 arrest of these cell lines, more important molecules related cell cycle, including c-myc, p21WAF1/CIP1, p53 and Rb, are involveed in regulation of cell cycle in gastric cancer cells.     

Mitochondrial ribosomal protein L41 mediates serum starvation-induced cell-cycle arrest through an increase of p21(WAF1/CIP1)

Ribosomal proteins not only act as components of the translation apparatus but also regulate cell proliferation and apoptosis. A previous study reported that MRPL41 plays an important role in p53-dependent apoptosis. It also showed that MRPL41 arrests the cell cycle by stabilizing p27(Kip1) in the absence of p53. This study found that MRPL41 mediates the p21(WAF1/CIP1)-mediated G1 arrest in response to serum starvation. The cells were released from serum starvation-induced G1 arrest via the siRNA-mediated blocking of MRPL41 expression. Overall, these results suggest that MRPL41 arrests the cell cycle by increasing the p21(WAF1/CIP1) and p27(Kip1) levels under the growth inhibitory conditions.     

Human papillomavirus type 16 E6 promotes retinoblastoma protein phosphorylation and cell cycle progression

We show that E6 proteins from benign human papillomavirus type 1 (HPV1) and oncogenic HPV16 have the ability to alter the regulation of the G(1)/S transition of the cell cycle in primary human fibroblasts. Overexpression of both viral proteins induces cellular proliferation, retinoblastoma (pRb) phosphorylation, and accumulation of products of genes that are negatively regulated by pRb, such as p16(INK4a), CDC2, E2F-1, and cyclin A. Hyperphosphorylated forms of pRb are present in E6-expressing cells even in the presence of ectopic levels of p16(INK4a). The E6 proteins strongly increased the cyclin A/cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) activity, which is involved in pRb phosphorylation. In addition, mRNA and protein levels of the CDK2 inhibitor p21(WAF1/CIP1) were strongly down-regulated in cells expressing E6 proteins. The down-regulation of the p21(WAF1/CIP1) gene appears to be independent of p53 inactivation, since HPV1 E6 and an HPV16 E6 mutant unable to target p53 were fully competent in decreasing p21(WAF1/CIP1) levels. E6 from HPV1 and HPV16 also enabled cells to overcome the G(1) arrest imposed by oncogenic ras. Immunofluorescence staining of cells coexpressing ras and E6 from either HPV16 or HPV1 revealed that antiproliferative (p16(INK4a)) and proliferative (Ki67) markers were coexpressed in the same cells. Together, these data underline a novel activity of E6 that is not mediated by inactivation of p53.     

视黄酸对胃癌细胞周期的调控

视黄酸(RA)能够抑制许多类型癌细胞生长、诱导细胞凋亡和调节细胞周期。本文研究了全反式视黄酸(ATRA)对人胃癌细胞的作用机理。结果表明,ATRA通过诱导细胞滞留在G_0/G_1期而显著抑制胃癌细胞生长,但ATRA不能诱导胃癌细胞凋亡;ATRA调控细胞周期与c-myc、磷酸化Rb水平的下调和p21~(WAF1/CIP1)、p53水平的上调有关,而cyclinD_1和CDK_4水平没有明显变化。在RA抗性细胞中,ATRA不能调节这些基因表达。结果证实,ATRA对胃癌细胞生长抑制与其诱导细胞滞留在G_0/G_1期有关,而与细胞凋亡的诱导无关,许多重要的、与周期相关的分子,包括cmyc、p21~(WAF1/CIP1、p53和Rb等参与细胞周期的调控。     

Adriamycin (ADM) induced apoptosis in Transitional Cell Cancer (TCC) cell lines accompanied by p21 WAF1/CIP1 induction

Genotoxic stimuli, including anticancer drugs, induce apoptosis in cancer cells through increase of p53, p21WAF1/CIP1 , at least in part. Bcl-2 and Bax modify this pathway or directly regulated by p53. Here we studied Adriamycin (ADM)-induced apoptosis in four human bladder cancer cell lines in respect of p53, p21WAF1/CIP1 and Bcl-2 family proteins. After ADM, treatment bladder cancer cells underwent dose-dependent cell death with typical morphologic features of apoptosis. Among four cell lines RT4 with wt p53, low ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax and induction of p21WAF1/CIP1 after ADM treatment, was the most sensitive to induction of apoptosis. Thus, p53, p21WAF1/CIP1 , Bcl-2 and Bax status might determine susceptibility of bladder cancer cells to ADM induced apoptosis.     

Overexpression of 15-lipoxygenase-1 induces growth arrest through phosphorylation of p53 in human colorectal cancer cells

To investigate the function of 15-lipoxygenase-1 (15-LOX-1) in human colorectal cancer, we overexpressed 15-LOX-1 in HCT-116 human colorectal cancer cells. Clones expressing the highest levels of 15-LOX-1 displayed reduced viability compared with the HCT-116-Vector control cells. Further, by cell cycle gene array analyses, the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21WAF1/CIP1 and MDM2 genes were up-regulated in 15-LOX-1-overexpressing cells. The induction of p21(WAF1/CIP1) and MDM2 were linked to activation of p53 by 15-LOX-1, as there was a dramatic induction of phosphorylated p53 (Ser15) in 15-LOX-1-overesxpressing cells. However, the 15-LOX-1 metabolites 13(S)-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid and 15(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid failed to induce phosphorylation of p53 at Ser15, and the 15-LOX-1 inhibitor PD146176 did not inhibit the phosphorylation of p53 at Ser15 in 15-LOX-1-overexpressing cells. Nonetheless, the growth-inhibitory effects of 15-LOX-1 were p53 dependent, as 15-LOX-1 overexpression had no effect on cell growth in p53 (-/-) HCT-116 cells. Finally, treatment of HCT-116-15-LOX-1 cells with different kinase inhibitors suggested that the effects of 15-LOX-1 on p53 phosphorylation and activation were due to effects on DNA-dependent protein kinase. Collectively, these findings suggest a new mechanism to explain the biological activity of 15-LOX-1, where 15-LOX plays a stoichiometric role in activating a DNA-dependent protein kinase-dependent pathway that leads to p53-dependent growth arrest.     

Induction of p53-, MDM2-, and WAF1/CIP1-like Molecules in Insect Cells by DNA-Damaging Agents

Cellular responses following DNA damage are ubiquitous in the biological world. In response to DNA damage, cell cycle checkpoints are activated, which delay cell cycle progression and most likely serve to allow time for repair. One important checkpoint in mammalian cells, activated in the G₁ phase of the cell cycle, is dependent on the p53 tumor suppressor gene product. While p53 is responsible for inducing G₁ arrest, the product of the MDM2 gene is believed to alleviate the arrest, allowing continuation of the cell cycle after a transient delay. Inasmuch as MDM2 and WAF1/CIP1 are transactivated by p53, while MDM2 binds to and modulates the activity of p53, a "feedback loop" is thus created. This pathway has been highly conserved in mammalian cells, but its presence outside of vertebrates is unknown. By using human MDM2 and WAF1/CIP1 cDNA probes, and monoclonal antibodies to p53 and Mdm2, we demonstrate in insect cell lines evidence for the existence of p53-, MDM2-, and WAF1/CIP1 -like molecules and a p53-regulated pathway following treatment by DNA-damaging agents.     

Activation of the anaphase promoting complex by HTLV-1 tax leads to senescence

The human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) Tax binds the anaphase promoting complex (APC) and activates it ahead of schedule. Here, we show that APC activation by Tax induces rapid senescence (tax-IRS) independently of p53 and pRB. In response to tax, cyclin A, cyclin B1, securin, and Skp2 becomes polyubiquitinated and degraded starting in S phase. This is followed by a surge in p21(CIP1/WAF1) and p27(KIP1) in mid to late S and G2/M leading to a permanent G1 arrest. Tax-positive HTLV-1-transformed T-cell lines express elevated levels of p21(CIP1/WAF1), but low levels of p27(KIP1). Finally, Tax can be stably expressed in p27(KIP1)-null NIH3T3 cells. These results indicate that APC activation by Tax causes inactivation of SCF(Skp2) and stabilization of p21(CIP1/WAF1) and p27(KIP1). The build-up of p21(CIP1/WAF1) and especially p27(KIP1) commits cells to senescence. Evading tax-IRS through a loss of p27(KIP1) function is likely to be critical for cell transformation by Tax and development of adult T-cell leukemia after HTLV-1 infection. Finally, activation of APC ahead of schedule may be exploited to arrest cancer cell growth.