Loss of putative tumor suppressor EI24/PIG8 confers resistance to etoposide

Expression of p53-target gene EI24/PIG8 is lost in invasive breast cancers, suggesting that EI24/PIG8 is a tumor suppressor that prevents tumor spreading, and partially mediates p53-attributed tumor suppressor activity. EI24/PIG8 also has pro-apoptotic activity indicating that loss of EI24/PIG8 may modulate sensitivity to chemotherapy. Here it is demonstrated that suppression of EI24/PIG8 in fibroblasts and breast cancer cells significantly inhibits the apoptotic response to etoposide treatment. These findings suggest that loss of EI24/PIG8 contributes significantly to resistance of cells to chemotherapeutic agents that function through p53, and identify the EI24/PIG8 status as a potentially new prognostic marker of chemotherapy responsiveness.