Large E1B proteins of adenovirus types 5 and 12 have different effects on p53 and distinct roles in cell transformation.

The formation of complexes between oncoproteins of DNA tumor viruses and the cellular protein p53 is thought to result in inactivation of the growth suppressor function of p53. In cells transformed by nononcogenic human adenovirus type 5 (Ad5), the 55-kDa protein encoded by E1B forms a stable complex with p53 and sequesters it in the cytoplasm. However, the homologous 54-kDa protein of highly oncogenic Ad12 does not detectably associate with p53. Yet in Ad12-transformed cells, p53 is metabolically stable, is present at high levels in the nucleus, and contributes to the oncogenicity of the cells. Such properties have previously been described for mutant forms of p53. Here, we show that stable p53 in Ad12-transformed cells is wild type rather than mutant and that stabilization of p53 is a direct consequence of the expression of the Ad12 E1B protein. We also compared the effects of the E1B proteins on transformation of rodent cells by different combinations of oncogenes. A synergistic interaction was observed for the gene encoding the 54-kDa E1B protein of Ad12 with myc plus ras oncogenes, resembling the effect of mutant p53 on myc plus ras. In contrast, the Ad5 55-kDa E1B protein strongly inhibited transformation by myc plus ras but stimulated transformation by E1A plus ras. The data are explained in terms of different interactions of the two E1B proteins with endogenous p53. The results suggest that in cultured rat cells, endogenous wild-type p53 plays an essential role in cell proliferation, even in the presence of myc plus ras. The dependence on p53 is lost, however, when the adenovirus E1A oncogene is present.     

The mdm-2 oncogene can overcome wild-type p53 suppression of transformed cell growth.

Expression of a p53-associated protein, Mdm-2 (murine double minute-2), can inhibit p53-mediated transactivation. In this study, overexpression of the Mdm-2 protein was found to result in the immortalization of primary rat embryo fibroblasts (REFs) and, in conjunction with an activated ras gene, in the transformation of REFs. The effect of wild-type p53 on the transforming properties of mdm-2 was determined by transfecting REFs with ras, mdm-2, and normal p53 genes. Transfection with ras plus mdm-2 plus wild-type p53 resulted in a 50% reduction in the number of transformed foci (relative to the level for ras plus mdm-2); however, more than half (9 of 17) of the cell lines derived from these foci expressed low levels of a murine p53 protein with the characteristics of a wild-type p53. These results are in contrast to previous studies which demonstrated that even minimal levels of wild-type p53 are not tolerated in cells transformed by ras plus myc, E1A, or mutant p53. The mdm-2 oncogene can overcome the previously demonstrated growth-suppressive properties of p53.     

Activating mutations for transformation by p53 produce a gene product that forms an hsc70-p53 complex with an altered half-life.

The 11-4 p53 cDNA clone failed to transform primary rat fibroblasts when cotransfected with the ras oncogene. Two linker insertion mutations at amino acid 158 or 215 (of 390 amino acids) activated this p53 cDNA for transformation with ras. These mutant cDNAs produced a p53 protein that lacked an epitope, recognized by monoclonal antibody PAb246 (localized at amino acids 88 to 110 in the protein) and preferentially bound to a heat shock protein, hsc70. In rat cells transformed by a genomic p53 clone plus ras, two populations of p53 proteins were detected, PAb246+ and PAb246-, which did or did not bind to this monoclonal antibody, respectively. The PAb246- p53 preferentially associated with hsc70, and this protein had a half-life 4- to 20-fold longer than free p53 (PAb246+). These data suggest a possible functional role for hsc70 in the transformation process. cDNAs for p53 derived from methylcholanthrene-transformed cells transform rat cells in cooperation with the ras oncogene and produce a protein that bound with the heat shock proteins. Recombinant clones produced between a Meth A cDNA and 11-4 were tested for the ability to transform rat cells. A single amino acid substitution at residue 132 was sufficient to activate the 11-4 p53 cDNA for transformation. These studies have identified a region between amino acids 132 and 215 in the p53 protein which, when mutated, can activate the p53 cDNA. These results also call into question what the correct p53 wild-type sequence is and whether a wild-type p53 gene can transform cells in culture.     

Mutant p53 tumor suppressor alleles release ras-induced cell cycle growth arrest.

Overexpression of an activated ras gene in the rat embryo fibroblast line REF52 results in growth arrest at either the G1/S or G2/M boundary of the cell cycle. Both the DNA tumor virus proteins simian virus 40 large T antigen and adenovirus 5 E1a are able to rescue ras induced lethality and cooperate with ras to fully transform REF52 cells. In this report, we present evidence that the wild-type activity of the tumor suppressor gene p53 is involved in the negative growth regulation of this model system. p53 genes encoding either a p53Val-135 or p53Pro-193 mutation express a highly stable p53 protein with a conformation-dependent loss of wild-type activity and the ability to eliminate any endogenous wild-type p53 activity in a dominant negative manner. In cotransfection assays, these mutant p53 genes are able to rescue REF52 cells from ras-induced growth arrest, resulting in established cell lines which express elevated levels of the ras oncoprotein and show morphological transformation. Full transformation, as assayed by tumor formation in nude mice, is found only in the p53Pro-193-plus-ras transfectants. These cells express higher levels of the ras protein than do the p53Val-135-plus-ras-transfected cells. Transfection of REF52 cells with ras alone or a full-length genomic wild-type p53 plus ras results in growth arrest and lethality. Therefore, the selective event for p53 inactivation or loss during tumor progression may be to overcome a cell cycle restriction induced by oncogene overexpression (ras). These results suggest that a normal function of p53 may be to mediate negative growth regulation in response to ras or other proliferative inducing signals.     

人类p53和c-myc同源基因在玉米颖果发育过程中的表达

肿瘤抑制基因p53和原癌基因c-myc已被证明在动物中高度保守并参与许多PCD过程。这两个基因编码的同源蛋白及其RNA在玉米中的存在已有报道,并且其DNA同源序列已利用荧光原位杂交定位在玉米相应的染色体上。利用免疫组织化学方法探测了与人类p53和c-myc基因同源的玉米基因在玉米颖果发育过程中的时空表达模式。结果发现,在授粉后的一定阶段,在反足细胞、珠被、未成熟的胚乳、予房壁、导管组织和糊粉层中,p53同源基因表达强烈,c-myc同源基因的表达相反,在授粉后的这些组织中基本不表达,而在授粉前的中央细胞的极核中表达水平较高。TUNEL检测显示,在p53同源基因呈现高水平表达的地方,DNA断裂信号强烈。在动物细胞中,p53和c-myc起相反的调节作用,这与其同源基因在玉米中的作用模式相似。由此说明p53和c-myc同源基因可能在玉米颖果发育PCD过程中起重要作用,并进一步推论高等植物PCD和动物细胞凋亡存在一定的保守性机制。     

Oncogenic ras and p53 cooperate to induce cellular senescence

Oncogenic activation of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascade in murine fibroblasts initiates a senescence-like cell cycle arrest that depends on the ARF/p53 tumor suppressor pathway. To investigate whether p53 is sufficient to induce senescence, we introduced a conditional murine p53 allele (p53(val135)) into p53-null mouse embryonic fibroblasts and examined cell proliferation and senescence in cells expressing p53, oncogenic Ras, or both gene products. Conditional p53 activation efficiently induced a reversible cell cycle arrest but was unable to induce features of senescence. In contrast, coexpression of oncogenic ras or activated mek1 with p53 enhanced both p53 levels and activity relative to that observed for p53 alone and produced an irreversible cell cycle arrest that displayed features of cellular senescence. p19(ARF) was required for this effect, since p53(-/-) ARF(-/-) double-null cells were unable to undergo senescence following coexpression of oncogenic Ras and p53. Although the levels of exogenous p53 achieved in ARF-null cells were relatively low, the stabilizing effects of p19(ARF) on p53 could not explain the cooperation between oncogenic Ras and p53 in promoting senescence. Hence, enforced p53 expression without oncogenic ras in p53(-/-) mdm2(-/-) double-null cells produced extremely high p53 levels but did not induce senescence. Taken together, our results indicate that oncogenic activation of the MAP kinase pathway in murine fibroblasts converts p53 into a senescence inducer through both quantitative and qualitative mechanisms.     

甲胎蛋白对HeLa细胞N-ras、p53和p21~(ras)表达的促进作用

大量研究已证明甲胎蛋白 (alpha fetoprotein ,AFP)对肿瘤细胞的增殖具有调节作用 .为探讨AFP对细胞生长促进作用的分子机理 ,采用从人脐带血中提取的AFP作用于体外培养的HeLa细胞 ,用Northern印迹分析法分析不同作用时间时细胞N rasmRNA的表达以及用Western印迹分析法分析p5 3、p2 1ras的表达 .结果发现 ,在AFP(2 0mg L)作用后 ,HeLa细胞的N rasmRNA、p5 3蛋白质和p2 1ras蛋白质的表达量与对照组比较在 12h和 2 4h时都有明显增加 .AFP的作用均可被抗AFP单克隆抗体所拮抗 .实验结果提示 ,AFP对细胞生长的调节作用可能通过促进这些原癌基因的表达来实现 .     

Rat embryo cells immortalized with transfected oncogenes are transformed by gamma irradiation.

Cesium-137 gamma rays were used to transform rat embryo cells (REC) which were first transfected with activated c-myc or c-Ha-ras oncogenes to produce immortal cell lines (REC:myc and REC:ras). When exposed to 6 Gy of 137Cs gamma rays, some cells became morphologically transformed with focus formation frequencies of approximately 3 x 10(-4) for REC:myc and approximately 1 x 10(-4) for REC:ras, respectively. Cells isolated from foci of gamma-ray-transformed REC:myc (REC:myc:gamma) formed anchorage-independent colonies and were tumorigenic in nude mice, but foci from gamma-ray-transformed REC:ras (REC:ras:gamma) did not exhibit either of these criteria of transformation. Similar to the results with gamma irradiation, we observed a sequence-dependent phenomenon when myc and ras were transfected into REC, one at a time. REC immortalized by ras transfection were not converted to a tumorigenic phenotype by secondary transfection with myc, but REC transfected with myc were very susceptible to transformation by subsequent ras transfection. This suggests that myc-immortalized cells are more permissive to transformation via secondary treatments. In sequentially transfected REC, myc expression was high whether it was transfected first or second, whereas ras expression was highest when the ras gene was transfected secondarily into myc-containing REC. Molecular analysis of REC:ras:gamma transformants showed no alterations in structure of the transfected ras or of the endogenous ras, myc, p53, or fos genes. The expression of ras and p53 was increased in some isolates of REC:ras:gamma, but myc and fos expression were not affected. Similarly, REC:myc:gamma transformants did not demonstrate rearrangement or amplification of the transfected or the endogenous myc genes, or of the potentially cooperating Ha-, Ki-, or N-ras genes. Northern hybridization analysis revealed increased expression of N-ras in two isolates, REC:myc:gamma 33 and gamma 41, but no alterations in the expression of myc, raf, Ha-ras, or Ki-ras genes in any REC:myc transformant. DNA from several transformed REC:myc:gamma cell lines induced focus formation in recipient C3H 10T1/2 and NIH 3T3 cells. The NIH 3T3 foci tested positive when hybridized to a probe for rat repetitive DNA. A detailed analysis of the NIH 3T3 transformants generated from REC:myc:gamma 33 and gamma 41 DNA failed to detect Ha-ras, Ki-ras, raf, neu, trk, abl, fms, or src oncogenes of rat origin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Transforming activity of mutant human p53 alleles

Mutant forms of the p53 gene have been shown to cooperate with an activated ras gene in transforming primary cells in culture. The aberrant proteins encoded by p53 mutants are thought to act in a dominant negative manner in these assays. In vivo data, however, reveal that where p53 has undergone genetic change in tumors, both alleles have been affected. We previously identified a case of human acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) in which both alleles of the p53 gene had undergone independent missense mutations (at codons 135 cys to ser and 246 met to val). In these blasts, p53 mutations appear to be acting recessively. We have assayed the transforming potential of these p53 mutations, as well as that of another mutation at codon 273, also identified in a human neoplasm. Both mutations from the AML blasts (codon 135 and codon 246) confer transforming ability on the mutant protein. While transformation assays may define functionally different subsets of p53 mutations, the overexpression phenotype of mutants in this assay may not accurately reflect the pathological effects of p53 mutations in vivo.     

慢性缺氧大鼠肺内(肺血管壁)细胞增殖、凋亡及c-myc、p53基因表达研究

目的和方法：应用免疫组织化学、原位末端标记技术及Ｎｏｒｔｈｅｒｎ杂交等方法检测慢性缺氧大鼠肺内特别是肺血管壁细胞增殖、凋亡及相关基因ｃｍｙｃ、ｐ５３表达。结果：正常及慢性缺氧大鼠肺内检出一定比率的增殖、凋亡阳性细胞,两类细胞在肺内呈不均匀散在分布。在缺氧大鼠肺内,增殖阳性细胞绝大部分是肺小血管壁细胞,凋亡性染色细胞在肺小血管壁上较对照组少见。缺氧１、２周组大鼠肺内细胞增殖指数显著增高而凋亡指数显著减少,细胞增殖凋亡比值分别约为对照组３与３５倍。ｃｍｙｃ及ｐ５３是细胞增殖、凋亡密切相关的两种癌（抑癌）基因,前者在缺氧大鼠肺内表达显著增加,而后者（野生型）表达显著减少。结论：可能由于ｃｍｙｃ及ｐ５３基因异常表达所致的细胞增殖、凋亡失衡参与了慢性缺氧性肺血管结构改建的调节。     

Cellular DNA, ras p21 and p53 expression in the carcinogenesis of adenomatous colorectal polyps

OBJECTIVE: To explore the possible roles of cellular DNA, oncogene ras and tumor suppressor gene p53 in the carcinogenesis of colorectal adenomatous polyps (CAP). STUDY DESIGN: Cellular DNA content, oncogene ras and tumor suppressor gene p53 expression at the protein level were quantitatively studied with flow cytometry (FCM) in 16 cases of CAP with mild epithelial dysplasia (CAP-MD), 16 cases of CAP with moderate/severe epithelial dysplasia (CAP-M/SD) and 11 cases of cancer in adenomatous polyps (CIAP). RESULTS: Nuclear DNA contents of CAP-M/SD (DNA [DI] = 1.11 +/- 0.06) and CIAP (DI = 1.29 +/- 0.03) were significantly higher than those of CAP-MD (DI = 1.06 +/- 0.06) and normal controls (DI = 1.00, P < .005) and were in the FCM DNA aneuploidy range. The rates and amount (as determined by the fluoresence index) of mutant p53 protein expression in CAP-M/SD and CIAP were significantly higher than those in the control and CAP-MD groups. Positive rates of ras p21 expression were all high in CAP-MD, CAP-M/SD and CIAP (80%, 75% and 100%, respectively), yet the intensity of expression in the last was significantly stronger than those in the former two groups. DNA aneuploid, ras p21 and p53 coexpression were found in 10 of 11 cases of CIAP. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that cellular DNA, ras p21 and p53 are all involved in the carcinogenesis of CAP. Clinically, the appearance of DNA aneuploidy, ras p21 or p53 overexpression should be considered markers of malignant conversion in CAP.     

Simian virus 40 can overcome the antiproliferative effect of wild-type p53 in the absence of stable large T antigen-p53 binding.

In simian virus 40 (SV40)-transformed cells, a tight complex is formed between the viral large T antigen (large T) and p53. It has been proposed that this complex interferes with the antiproliferative activity of p53. This notion was tested in primary rat fibroblasts by assessing the ability of SV40-mediated transformation to be spared from the inhibitory effect of wild-type (wt) p53. The data indicate that relative to transformation induced by myc plus ras, SV40-plus-ras-mediated focus formation was indeed much less suppressed by p53 plasmids. A majority of the resultant cell lines made a p53 protein with properties characteristic of a wt conformation. Furthermore, cell lines expressing stably both SV40 large T and a temperature-sensitive p53 mutant continued to proliferate at a temperature at which this p53 assumes wt-like properties and normally causes a growth arrest. Surprisingly, at least partial resistance to the growth-inhibitory effect of wt p53 was also evident when transformation was mediated by an SV40 deletion mutant, encoding a large T which does not bind p53 detectably. In addition to supporting the idea that SV40 can overcome the growth-restrictive activity of wt p53, these findings strongly suggest that at least part of this effect does not require a stable association between p53 and large T.     

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.     

Isolation of temperature-sensitive p53 mutations from a comprehensive missense mutation library

Temperature-sensitive (ts) mutations have been used as a genetic and molecular tool to study the functions of many gene products. Each ts mutant protein may contain a temperature-dependent intramolecular mechanism such as ts conformational change. To identify key ts structural elements controlling the protein function, we screened ts p53 mutants from a comprehensive mutation library consisting of 2,314 p53 missense mutations for their sequence-specific transactivity through p53-binding sequences in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We isolated 142 ts p53 mutants, including 131 unreported ts mutants. These mutants clustered in beta-strands in the DNA-binding domain, particularly in one of the two beta-sheets of the protein, and 15 residues (Thr155, Arg158, Met160, Ala161, Val172, His214, Ser215, Pro223, Thr231, Thr253, Ile254, Thr256, Ser269, Glu271, and Glu285) were ts hot spots. Among the 142 mutants, 54 were examined further in human osteosarcoma Saos-2 cells, and it was confirmed that 89% of the mutants were also ts in mammalian cells. The ts mutants represented distinct ts transactivities for the p53 binding sequences and a distinct epitope expression pattern for conformation-specific anti-p53 antibodies. These results indicated that the intramolecular beta-sheet in the core DNA-binding domain of p53 was a key structural element controlling the protein function and provided a clue for finding a molecular mechanism that enables the rescue of the mutant p53 function.     

Mutation is required to activate the p53 gene for cooperation with the ras oncogene and transformation.

Previous experiments have brought into question which amino acid sequence of the p53 oncogene product should be considered wild type and whether the normal protein is capable of cooperating with the ras oncogene to transform cells in culture. To address these questions, a series of p53 cDNA-genomic hybrid clones have been compared for the ability to cooperate with the ras oncogene in transformation assays. From these experiments, it has become clear that the amino acid alanine at position 135, in either the genomic clone or the cDNA clone, failed to produce a p53 protein that cooperated with the ras oncogene and transformed cells. Replacing alanine with valine at this position in either the genomic or the cDNA clone activated for transformation in this assay. Using restriction enzyme polymorphisms in the p53 gene, it was shown that normal mouse DNA encodes alanine at position 135 in the p53 protein. Thus, mutation is required to activate the p53 protein for cooperation with the ras oncogene. After cotransfection with the activated ras gene, the genomic p53 DNA clone always produced more transformed cell foci (1.7-fold) than similar cDNA clones and these foci were more readily cloned (3.6-fold) into permanent cell lines. A series of deletion mutants of the genomic p53 clone were employed to show that the presence of intron 4 in the p53 gene was sufficient to provide much enhanced clonability of transformed foci from culture dishes. The presence of introns in the p53 gene constructions also resulted in elevated levels of p53 protein in the p53-plus-ras-transformed cell lines. Thus, qualitative changes in the p53 protein are required to activate p53 for transformation with the oncogene ras. Quantitative improvements of transformation frequencies are associated with the higher expression levels of altered p53 protein that are provided by having one of the p53 introns in the transforming plasmid.     

Association of TP53 mutation, p53 overexpression, and p53 codon 72 polymorphism with susceptibility to apoptosis in adult patients with diffuse astrocytomas

Clarification of TP53 alterations is important to understand the mechanisms underlying the development of diffuse astrocytomas. It has been suggested that the alleles of TP53 at codon 72 differ in their ability to induce apoptosis in human cancers. The aim of this study was to analyze the possible association of TP53 mutation, p53 overexpression, and p53 codon 72 polymorphism with susceptibility to apoptosis in adult Brazilian patients with diffuse astrocytomas. We analyzed 56 surgical specimens of diffuse astrocytomas for alterations of TP53, using polymerase chain reaction single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) direct sequencing. p53 and cleaved caspase 3 protein expression were assessed by immunohistochemistry. We found TP53 mutations in 19.6% (11 out of 56) of tumors tested, with the lowest mutation rate found in the cases of glioblastomas (8.8%) (p = 0.03). Only 16.1% of tumors tested showed cleaved caspase 3-positive staining, demonstrating that apoptosis is very inhibited in these tumors. All tumors having TP53 mutation and p53 accumulation had no expression of cleaved caspase 3. Additionally, no association was observed in tumors having proline and arginine alleles and expression of cleaved caspase 3. We concluded that clarification of the TP53 alterations allows a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in the progression of diffuse astrocytomas, and the allele status at codon 72 was not associated with apoptosis in these tumors.     

Modulation of immortalizing properties of human papillomavirus type 16 E7 by p53 expression.

The E7 protein is one of the principle transforming proteins encoded by human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16), a virus strongly associated with the development of cervical carcinoma. In the present study we show that cotransfection of wild-type human or murine p53 sequences with E7 and ras markedly reduces transformation in baby rat kidney cells, although no effect of p53 is seen on the ability of E7 to transform an established mouse line to anchorage independence. In contrast, expression of mutant p53 strongly potentiates the transforming function of E7 and confers marked growth factor independence to cells cotransformed by E7 and ras. These data suggest that E7 and p53 function in separate yet complementary biochemical pathways.