Inhibition of B cell proliferation by antisense DNA to both alpha and beta forms of Fc epsilon R II.

Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) infection activates B lymphocyte proliferation through partially understood mechanisms, resulting in phenotypic changes, including the appearance of new antigens. One such antigen is Fc epsilon R II/CD-23 which may be relevant for B cell proliferation. We have used anti-sense oligonucleotides to study the importance of the two forms of this molecule for proliferation in the EBV-transformed, Fc epsilon R II +ve lymphoblastoid B cell line, RPMI 8866. Anti-sense oligodeoxynucleotides were generated to the two forms of Fc epsilon R II; Fc epsilon R IIa (alpha) and IIb (beta) which differ only in their intracytoplasmic domains. Addition of increasing concentrations of anti-sense oligonucleotides, ranging from 1 to 30 microM, significantly decreased cellular proliferation as measured by the incorporation of [3H]thymidine (inhibition range 8-88%). Optimum inhibition of cellular proliferation was apparent at 15 microM concentration of both anti-sense Fc epsilon R IIa and IIb (Fc epsilon R IIa, mean +/- SE = 75 +/- 7% inhibition, p less than 0.001; Fc epsilon R IIb, mean +/- SE = 71 +/- 7% inhibition, p less than 0.001). Anti-sense oligonucleotides complementary to the common part of Fc epsilon R II resulted in a similar inhibition of proliferation. Sense oligonucleotides did not induce significant inhibition. Preincubation of sense and anti-sense oligonucleotides resulted in an abrogation of proliferation inhibition. Moreover, none of these oligonucleotides had any effect on a Fc epsilon R II -ve cell line. Incubation with both anti-sense IIa and IIb resulted in additive, but not synergistic inhibition of proliferation. Addition of soluble Fc epsilon R II did not reverse inhibition of proliferation, suggesting that membrane-bound or intracellular rather than soluble Fc epsilon R II was important for the induced proliferation. Analysis of cell surface expression for Fc epsilon II indicated that while there was a pronounced effect on cell number following incubation with anti-sense oligonucleotides, surface expression of Fc epsilon R II was consistent as measured over different time points. PCR analysis revealed that while most cells expressed either the alpha or the beta form of Fc epsilon R II, EBV-transformed cell lines, particularly RPMI 8866, were found to express both alpha and beta forms simultaneously. This may constitute a mechanism whereby EBV infection confers an immortal state to the cell, resulting in its uncontrolled proliferation. Cell lines expressing only one receptor form, either alpha or beta, were unaffected after incubation with anti-sense oligonucleotides.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Mutation of the endogenous p53 gene in cells transformed by HPV-16 E7 and EJ c-ras confers a growth advantage involving an autocrine mechanism.

Rat embryo fibroblasts transformed with the HPV-16 E7 gene and the activated c-H-ras gene fall into two distinct phenotypic classes. At high cell density, clones of one class form colonies in methylcellulose supplemented with low serum; at low cell density, these cells display responsiveness to mitogenic factors present in serum-free conditioned medium from rat embryo fibroblasts. In contrast, clones of the second class exhibit an absolute dependency on growth factors present in serum at all cell densities in the methylcellulose colony assay and fail to respond to conditioned medium. We find that the status of the endogenous p53 gene is tightly correlated with these two classes of clones. Clones of the first class contain missense mutations in the p53 gene and have lost the wild-type allele. Clones of the second class express wild-type p53 protein. The importance of mutant p53 expression in reducing the growth factor dependency of transformed clones was confirmed in a separate series of experiments in which rat embryo fibroblasts were transformed with three genes, E7 + ras + mutant p53. The growth behaviour of these triply transfected clones was similar to that of the E7 + ras clones expressing endogenous mutant p53. We demonstrate that the enhanced proliferation of E7 + ras clones expressing mutant p53 protein involves an autocrine mechanism.     

DNA damage triggers an interplay between wtp53 and c-Myc affecting lymphoma cell proliferation and Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus replication

The induction of DNA damage together with the interference with DNA repair represents a promising strategy in cancer treatment. Here we show that the PARP-1/2/3 inhibitor AZD2461 in combination with the CHK1 inhibitor UCN-01 altered the DNA damage response and reduced cell proliferation in PEL cells, an aggressive B cell lymphoma highly resistant to chemotherapies.AZD2461/UCN-01 combination activated p53/p21 and downregulated c-Myc in these cells, leading to a reduced expression level of RAD51, molecule involved in DNA repair. The effect of AZD2461/UCN-01 on c-Myc and p53/p21 was inter-dependent and, besides impairing cell proliferation, contributed to the activation of the replicative cycle of KSHV, carried in a latent state in PEL cells. Finally, we found that the pharmacological or genetic inhibition of p21 counteracted the viral lytic cycle activation and further reduced PEL cell proliferation, suggesting that it could induce a double beneficial effect in this setting. This study unveils that, therapeutic approaches, based on the induction of DNA damage and the reduction of DNA repair, could be used to successfully treat this malignant lymphoma.     

Polo-like kinase 1 inhibitors,mitotic stress and the tumor suppressor p53

Polo-like kinase 1 has been established as one of the most attractive targets for molecular cancer therapy. In fact, multiple small-molecule inhibitors targeting this kinase have been developed and intensively investigated. Recently, it has been reported that the cytotoxicity induced by Plk1 inhibition is elevated in cancer cells with inactive p53, leading to the hypothesis that inactive p53 is a predictive marker for the response of Plk1 inhibition. In our previous study based on different cancer cell lines, we showed that cancer cells with wild type p53 were more sensitive to Plk1 inhibition by inducing more apoptosis, compared with cancer cells depleted of p53. In the present work, we further demonstrate that in the presence of mitotic stress induced by different agents, Plk1 inhibitors strongly induced apoptosis in HCT116 p53^+/+ cells, whereas HCT116 p53^−/− cells arrested in mitosis with less apoptosis. Depletion of p53 in HCT116 p53^+/+ or U2OS cells reduced the induction of apoptosis. Moreover, the surviving HCT116 p53^−/− cells showed DNA damage and a strong capability of colony formation. Plk1 inhibition in combination with other anti-mitotic agents inhibited proliferation of tumor cells more strongly than Plk1 inhibition alone. Taken together, the data underscore that functional p53 strengthens the efficacy of Plk1 inhibition alone or in combination by strongly activating cell death signaling pathways. Further studies are required to investigate if the long-term outcomes of losing p53, such as low differential grade of tumor cells or defective DNA damage checkpoint, are responsible for the cytotoxicity of Plk1 inhibition.     

N-acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline inhibits DNA synthesis in human mesangial cells via up-regulation of cell cycle modulators

N-Acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline (Ac-SDKP) was originally reported as a natural inhibitor of the proliferation of stem cells. To elucidate whether Ac-SDKP inhibits the proliferation of human mesangial cells, we examined the effect of Ac-SDKP on fetal calf serum (FCS)- or platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB-induced DNA synthesis and a cell proliferation. Ac-SDKP inhibited PDGF-BB- or FCS-induced DNA synthesis without cellular toxicity. The protein expression of p53 and p27kip1 was significantly increased by Ac-SDKP. Ac-SDKP also up-regulated the PDGF-BB-stimulated expression of p21cip1 and suppressed PDGF-BB-induced cyclin D1 expression. In p53 knock-out human mesangial cells made with small interference RNA, the protein expression of p21cip1 and p27kip1 was also decreased and the inhibitory effect of Ac-SDKP on mesangial proliferation was completely abolished. Ac-SDKP increased the stability of p53 protein as demonstrated by pulse-chase experiment. These results suggest that p53 is the key mediator of Ac-SDKP-induced inhibition of DNA synthesis through the up-regulation of cell cycle modulators, highlighting a potential effect of Ac-SDKP on various progressive renal diseases.     

Mechanism of eNOS gene transfer inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is responsible for the production of nitric oxide (NO) in blood vessels. NO has been shown to be involved in the inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation. In the present study, the eNOS gene was transferred into rat aortic smooth muscle cells by using an adenoviral vector, and the effect of endogenously produced NO on VSMC proliferation was investigated. The presence of eNOS in eNOS-transfected cells was confirmed by immunocytochemistry and Western blot analysis. eNOS transfection resulted in inhibition of VSMC proliferation. This effect was accompanied by increased levels of p53 and p21. This effect was abrogated in the presence of the protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor Rp-8-bromoadenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphothioate. The increased levels of p53 and p21 observed in eNOS-transfected cells were reduced in the presence of the PKA inhibitor. These data suggest that p21 and p53 play a role in the inhibition of proliferation in eNOS-transfected cells and that levels of these two proteins are regulated by PKA.     

Role of p53 tumor suppressor in ageing: regulation of transient cell cycle arrest and terminal senescence.

In this study we investigated the function of p53 as a regulator of cell cycle progression in cycling and senescent cells. Using the conditional temperature-sensitive (ts) mutant we could prevent the detrimental effect of constitutive expression of high levels of wt p53 protein. High levels of wt p53 inhibited cell proliferation by blocking the cells to progress from G1 to S phase of the cell cycle. Flow cytometric analysis revelaed a maintenance of G1 cell population for a longer time depending on the prolonged expression of wt p53 protein. The p53 mediated inhibition of cell proliferation and of the cycle was reversible. However, a spontaneous increase of wt p53 occurring in ageing normal human MRC-5 fibroblasts was associated with irreversible reduction of proliferative potential. The accumulation of G1 cells was detected by flow cytometry. By the measurement of DNA content it is not possible to discriminate between cells arrested in G1 and G0 phase, therefore, the expression of G1 markers was determined. Analysis of the expression of distinct cell cycle regulators revealed that quiescent MRC-5 cells were in G0 phase. Our results indicate that cell cycle arrest occurring in senescent cells is associated with the G0 transition.     

XRCC3 Depletion Induces Spontaneous DNA Breaks and p53-Dependent Cell Death

In vertebrate cells, Xrcc3 initiates the repair of exogenous induced-DNA breaks during S and G2/M phases of the cell cycle by homologous recombination. However, much less is known of the role of Xrcc3 in the response to spontaneous DNA breaks. Using a siRNA approach, we show that depletion of XRCC3 inhibits the proliferation of MCF7 breast cancer cells. This inhibition of replication coincides with the accumulation of DNA breaks, as shown by the comet assay. Cell cycle specific analysis of γH2AX expression shows that S and G2/M phase cells express the highest fraction of γH2AX positive cells. This is consistent with replication-dependent accumulation of DNA breaks and deficient homologous recombination. While the induction of γH2AX is followed by cell death in parental cells, a p53 knockdown derivative becomes more resistant to XRCC3 depletion-induced death without changes in the levels of γH2AX. These results show that XRCC3 is required for the proliferation of MCF7 cells, and that decrease in its expression leads to the accumulation of DNA breaks and the induction of p53-dependent cell death.     

The p53 tumor suppressor stimulates the catalytic activity of human topoisomerase IIalpha by enhancing the rate of ATP hydrolysis

DNA topoisomerase II is an essential nuclear enzyme for proliferation of eukaryotic cells and plays important roles in many aspects of DNA processes. In this report, we have demonstrated that the catalytic activity of topoisomerase IIalpha, as measured by decatenation of kinetoplast DNA and by relaxation of negatively supercoiled DNA, was stimulated approximately 2-3-fold by the tumor suppressor p53 protein. In order to determine the mechanism by which p53 activates the enzyme, the effects of p53 on the topoisomerase IIalpha-mediated DNA cleavage/religation equilibrium were assessed using the prototypical topoisomerase II poison, etoposide. p53 had no effect on the ability of the enzyme to make double-stranded DNA break and religate linear DNA, indicating that the stimulation of the enzyme catalytic activity by p53 was not due to alteration in the formation of covalent cleavable complexes formed between topoisomerase IIalpha and DNA. The effects of p53 on the catalytic inhibition of topoisomerase IIalpha were examined using a specific catalytic inhibitor, ICRF-193, which blocks the ATP hydrolysis step of the enzyme catalytic cycle. Clearly manifested in decatenation and relaxation assays, p53 reduced the catalytic inhibition of topoisomerase IIalpha by ICRF-193. ATP hydrolysis assays revealed that the ATPase activity of topoisomerase IIalpha was specifically enhanced by p53. Immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that p53 physically interacts with topoisomerase IIalpha to form molecular complexes without a double-stranded DNA intermediary in vitro. To investigate whether p53 stimulates the catalytic activity of topoisomerase II in vivo, we expressed wild-type and mutant p53 in Saos-2 osteosarcoma cells lacking functional p53. Wild-type, but not mutant, p53 stimulated topoisomerase II activity in nuclear extract from these transfected cells. Our data propose a new role for p53 to modulate the catalytic activity of topoisomerase IIalpha. Taken together, we suggest that the p53-mediated response of the cell cycle to DNA damage may involve activation of topoisomerase IIalpha.     

Regulation of tumor suppressor p53 and HCT116 cell physiology by histone demethylase JMJD2D/KDM4D

JMJD2D, also known as KDM4D, is a histone demethylase that removes methyl moieties from lysine 9 on histone 3 and from lysine 26 on histone 1.4. Here, we demonstrate that JMJD2D forms a complex with the p53 tumor suppressor in vivo and interacts with the DNA binding domain of p53 in vitro. A luciferase reporter plasmid driven by the promoter of p21, a cell cycle inhibitor and prominent target gene of p53, was synergistically activated by p53 and JMJD2D, which was dependent on JMJD2D catalytic activity. Likewise, overexpression of JMJD2D induced p21 expression in U2OS osteosarcoma cells in the absence and presence of adriamycin, an agent that induces DNA damage. Furthermore, downregulation of JMJD2D inhibited cell proliferation in wild-type and even more so in p53(-/-) HCT116 colon cancer cells, suggesting that JMJD2D is a pro-proliferative molecule. JMJD2D depletion also induced more strongly apoptosis in p53(-/-) compared to wild-type HCT116 cells. Collectively, our results demonstrate that JMJD2D can stimulate cell proliferation and survival, suggesting that its inhibition may be helpful in the fight against cancer. Furthermore, our data imply that activation of p53 may represent a mechanism by which the pro-oncogenic functions of JMJD2D become dampened.     

cAMP对转化细胞中几种基因表达及CREB DNA结合活性的影响

 从癌基因、抑癌基因及转录因子 CREB(c AMP反应序列结合蛋白 )对 CRE DNA序列结合活性的相关性 ,对 db- c AMP处理的小鼠 C3H10 T1 /2转化细胞增殖抑制作用进行了研究 .实验结果表明 ,转化细胞中 PKA(蛋白激酶 A)活性显著低于正常细胞 ,而 PKC(蛋白激酶 C)活性则显著高于正常细胞 .斑点印迹和 Northern印迹分析显示转化细胞中 c- myc和 Ca M(钙调素 )基因表达明显高于正常细胞 ,而 p53基因和 Rb基因表达则明显低于正常细胞 ,这些差别与 C3H10 T1/ 2 转化细胞增殖失控有关 .转化细胞经 db- c AMP(1 mmol/L)处理后 ,细胞增殖受到明显抑制 ,db- c AMP处理0 .5h后 ,转化细胞中 PKA活性便明显增强 ,PKC活性则被显著抑制 ,处理 2 h后 ,c- myc和 Ca M基因表达下降 ,而 p53和 Rb基因表达则增强 ,这些变化与 c AMP抑制 C3H10 T1/ 2 转化细胞增殖有密切联系 .凝胶阻滞电泳分析显示 db- c AMP(1 mmol/L )处理短时间内 ,CREB对 CRE DNA序列无结合活性 ,1 2 h后开始出现较弱的结合活性 ,2 4 h后才明显加强 ,表明在 db- c AMP处理的早期 ,调控区中含有 CRE序列的基因不参与 db- c AMP对细胞增殖抑制的调节 ,即与 CREB磷酸化及其相应的 DNA结合活性无相关性 .     

Inhibition of proliferation of T47D human breast cancer cells: Alterations in progesterone receptor and p53 tumor suppressor protein

We have investigated the influence of three structurally different but functionally related compounds [1, 10 ortho-phenanthroline (phenanthroline), Rifampicin and aurin tricarboxylic acid (ATA)] on the rate and the extent of proliferation of progesterone-responsive T47D human breast cancer cells. These compounds have previously been used in this laboratory and have been shown to modulate properties of nucleic acid binding proteins. Because p53 and the progesterone receptor (PR) are both DNA binding proteins that appear to regulate proliferation of breast cells, alterations in T47D cell p53 and PR levels were examined to determine their relevance in cell proliferation. T47D cells were grown in the absence of phenol red and in the presence of 5% fetal calf serum with or without charcoal stripping in the presence of the inhibitors. The rate of proliferation of cells grown in Rifampicin containing medium exhibited nearly 70% inhibition. Phenanthroline, a known metal chelator, was an effect ive inhibitor of proliferation at 3 mM reducing the cell number by more than 75%. ATA (0.24–2.4 µg/ml) inhibited the growth of the cells by nearly 50%. Analysis of the mechanism of action of these compounds revealed that treatment with these compounds caused specific changes in the molecular composition of T47D cell PR. Whereas ATA caused increased stability of PR isoforms, Rifampicin induced a upshift in the mobility of PR in SDS gels – a phenomenon associated with hyperphosphorylation of steroid receptors (SRs). Phenanthroline treatment (> 2 mM) caused a complete down-regulation of PR and the tumor suppressor protein, p53. The downregulation of p53 paralleled the changes in the molecular composition of PR. We propose that the inhibition of T47D cell proliferation by phenanthroline, Rifampicin and ATA results from a number of cellular changes that include regulation of p53 and PR. (Mol Cell Biochem 175: 81–89, 1997)     

Polyoma virus middle T and small t antigens cooperate to antagonize p53-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

Wild-type p53 triggers two distinct biological responses, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Several small DNA tumor viruses encode proteins that bind p53 and thus block the function of p53. This probably reflects the need of these viruses to prevent p53-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis to allow viral DNA replication. Unlike SV40 large T, polyoma virus large T does not bind p53, and it is still unclear how polyoma virus blocks p53 function. To address this question, we transfected polyoma virus middle T or small t alone or middle T and small t together into J3D mouse T-lymphoma cells carrying temperature-sensitive p53 (ts p53). Induction of wild-type p53 by temperature shift to 32 degrees C triggered both G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in parental J3D-ts p53 cells. In contrast, J3D-ts p53 cells coexpressing middle T and small t showed only a weak G1 cell cycle arrest response after induction of wild-type p53 at 32 degrees C. Fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis revealed that nearly half of the middle T-expressing cells, 30% of the small t-expressing cells, and a majority of the cells coexpressing middle T and small t were resistant to p53-induced apoptosis. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor wortmannin partially abrogated the protective effect of middle T but not small t on p53-induced apoptosis, indicating that middle T prevents p53-induced apoptosis through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signal transduction pathway. Our results thus establish a mechanism for polyoma virus-mediated inhibition of p53 function.     

Inhibition of NAMPT pathway by FK866 activates the function of p53 in HEK293T cells

Inactivation of p53 protein by endogenous and exogenous carcinogens is involved in the pathogenesis of different human malignancies. In cancer associated with SV-40 DNA tumor virus, p53 is considered to be non-functional mainly due to its interaction with the large T-antigen. Using the 293T cell line (HEK293 cells transformed with large T antigen) as a model, we provide evidence that p53 is one of the critical downstream targets involved in FK866-mediated killing of 293T cells. A reduced rate of apoptosis and an increased number of cells in S-phase was accompanied after knockdown of p53 in these cells. Inhibition of NAMPT by FK866, or inhibition of SIRT by nicotinamide decreased proliferation and triggered death of 293T cells involving the p53 acetylation pathway. Additionally, knockdown of p53 attenuated the effect of FK866 on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest. The data presented here shed light on two important facts: (1) that p53 in 293T cells is active in the presence of FK866, an inhibitor of NAMPT pathway; (2) the apoptosis induced by FK866 in 293T cells is associated with increased acetylation of p53 at Lys382, which is required for the functional activity of p53.     

Aspirin inhibits human coronary artery endothelial cell proliferation by upregulation of p53

Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid, ASA) is effective in the primary and secondary prevention of vascular events. This effect is mediated in large part by platelet inhibition; however, non-platelet-mediated effects may also be relevant in the overall efficacy of ASA. We determined the effect of ASA on the synthesis of DNA and total proteins in cultured human coronary endothelial cells (HCAECs). Fourth generation HCAECs were cultured and treated with ASA and rate of synthesis of DNA and total proteins was determined by incorporation of [3H]thymidine and [3H]proline, respectively. ASA inhibited DNA synthesis by 50% at a concentration of 1mM and protein synthesis by 50% at a concentration of 2mM. The inhibitory effect of ASA was observed as early as 2h after treatment of HCAECs. The inhibition of DNA and protein synthesis could be reversed within 24h after removal of the drug from the culture medium. Indomethacin also inhibited DNA and protein synthesis. Western blot analysis revealed that the expression of p53 protein was increased after treatment of the cells with ASA. These observations indicate that ASA decreases endothelial cell proliferation through cell cycle arrest mediated by enhanced p53 expression. Arrest of endothelial proliferation and activation may be an important mechanism of the beneficial effect of ASA in acute coronary syndromes.     

Inhibition of cervical carcinoma cell line proliferation by the introduction of a bovine papillomavirus regulatory gene.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) E6 and E7 oncogenes are expressed in the great majority of human cervical carcinomas, whereas the viral E2 regulatory gene is usually disrupted in these cancers. To investigate the roles of the papillomavirus E2 genes in the development and maintenance of cervical carcinoma, the bovine papillomavirus (BPV) E2 gene was acutely introduced into cervical carcinoma cell lines by infection with high-titer stocks of simian virus 40-based recombinant viruses. Expression of the BPV E2 protein in HeLa, C-4I, and MS751 cells results in specific inhibition of the expression of the resident HPV type 18 (HPV18) E6 and E7 genes and in inhibition of cell growth. HeLa cells, in which HPV gene expression is nearly completely abolished, undergo a dramatic and rapid inhibition of proliferation, which appears to be largely a consequence of a block in progression from the G1 to the S phase of the cell cycle. Loss of HPV18 gene expression in HeLa cells is also accompanied by a marked increase in the level of the cellular p53 tumor suppressor protein, apparently as a consequence of abrogation of HPV18 E6-mediated destabilization of p53. The proliferation of HT-3 cells, a human cervical carcinoma cell line devoid of detectable HPV DNA, is also inhibited by E2 expression, whereas two other epithelial cell lines that do not contain HPV DNA are not inhibited. Thus, a number of cervical carcinoma cell lines are remarkably sensitive to growth inhibition by the E2 protein. Although BPV E2-mediated inhibition of HPV18 E6 and E7 expression may contribute to growth inhibition in some of the cervical carcinoma cell lines, the BPV E2 protein also appears to exert a growth-inhibitory effect that is independent of its effects on HPV gene expression.