Two different forms of p53 localized differently within cells of urogenital tumours

Lenalidomide enhances the anti-prostate cancer activity of docetaxel in vitro and in vivo

BACKGROUND

In this study, we investigated the effects of combining lenalidomide and docetaxel on in vitro and in vivo models of prostate cancer as a potential strategy for treatment of castrate resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

METHODS

The effects of combining lenalidomide and docetaxel on proliferation, apoptosis, invasive potential, anchorage independent growth, and p53 activation in the PC3 and DU145 prostate cell lines were investigated. The effects of the lenalidomide and docetaxel combination on LNCaP prostate cancer cell growth and invasiveness in vitro was also studied. The combination of these two agents was finally tested on a xenograft model of PC3 tumor growth in nude mice.

RESULTS

Lenalidomide decreased the IC(50) of docetaxel by up to 50% (P < 0.05) and also decreased invasion in PC3, LNCaP, and DU145 cells and anchorage independent growth in PC3 cells (P < 0.01). Apoptosis in lenalidomide/docetaxel-treated cells was increased by 2.2-fold over single agent docetaxel and a corresponding increase in p53, p38, and BAD activation was observed in Western blots (P < 0.001). When PC3 challenged mice were treated with lenalidomide and docetaxel, median survival increased from 48 to 59 days and the rate of tumor growth was significantly reduced (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Lenalidomide may be a promising candidate for combination with docetaxel in the treatment of CRPC.

p53 is localized to a sub-nucleolar compartment after proteasomal inhibition in an energy-dependent manner

The tumor suppressor p53 is activated in response to many forms of cellular stress leading to cell cycle arrest, senescence or apoptosis. Appropriate sub-cellular localization is essential for modulating p53 function. We recently showed that p53 localizes to the nucleolus after proteasome inhibition with MG132 and this localization requires sequences within its carboxyl terminus. In the present study, we found that after treatment with MG132, p53 associates with a discrete sub-nucleolar component, the fibrillar center (FC), a region mainly enriched with RNA polymerase I. Moreover, we now demonstrate that this localization is an energy-dependent process as reduction of ATP levels prevents nucleolar localization. In addition, p53 sub-nucleolar accumulation is abolished when cells are subjected to various types of genotoxic stress. Furthermore, we show that monoubiquitination of p53, which causes it to localize to the cytoplasm and nucleoplasm, does not prevent the association of p53 with the nucleolus after MG132 treatment. Importantly, we demonstrate that p53 nucleolar association occurs in lung and bladder carcinomas.

Proteome characterization of a human urothelial cell line resistant to the bladder carcinogen 4-aminobiphenyl

Background

The aromatic amine 4-aminobiphenyl (4-ABP) is an environmental and occupational contaminant known to be a major etiological agent of human bladder cancer. 4-ABP metabolites are able to form DNA adducts that may induce mutations and initiate bladder carcinogenesis. Cells exposed to 4-ABP may develop resistance to the carcinogen. The aim of the present study was to detect and identify proteins whose expression is altered in the bladder carcinoma RT112 sub-lines selected for acquired resistance to 4-ABP, in order to disentangle the mechanisms.

Results

Differential proteome analysis of cell lysates showed an overall perturbation in cell metabolism and energy pathways in the 4-ABP-resistant human urothelial clones, with over-expression of membrane trafficking proteins such as annexin 2. The resistant clones had altered expression of many proteins linked directly (i.e. lamin A/C, programmed cell death 6 interacting protein) or indirectly (i.e. 94 kDa glucose-regulated protein, fatty acid-binding protein) to decreased apoptosis, suggesting that resistance to 4-ABP might be associated with low apoptotic activity.

Conclusion

Our data provide evidence that deregulation of apoptosis and membrane trafficking proteins might be strongly implicated in the selection of carcinogen resistant cells. Some of these proteins might have potential as biomarkers of resistance and cancer risk.

Energy-dependent nucleolar localization of p53 in vitro requires two discrete regions within the p53 carboxyl terminus

The p53 tumor suppressor is a nucleocytoplasmic shuttling protein that is found predominantly in the nucleus of cells. In addition to mutation, abnormal p53 cellular localization is one of the mechanisms that inactivate p53 function. To further understand features of p53 that contribute to the regulation of its trafficking within the cell, we analysed the subnuclear localization of wild-type and mutant p53 in human cells that were either permeabilized with detergent or treated with the proteasome inhibitor MG132. We, here, show that either endogenously expressed or exogenously added p53 protein localizes to the nucleolus in detergent-permeabilized cells in a concentration- and ATP hydrolysis-dependent manner. Two discrete regions within the carboxyl terminus of p53 are essential for nucleolar localization in permeabilized cells. Similarly, localization of p53 to the nucleolus after proteasome inhibition in unpermeabilized cells requires sequences within the carboxyl terminus of p53. Interestingly, genotoxic stress markedly decreases the association of p53 with the nucleolus, and phosphorylation of p53 at S392, a site that is modified by such stress, partially impairs its nucleolar localization. The possible significance of these findings is discussed.

Bioinformatic analysis of the nucleolus

The nucleolus is a plurifunctional, nuclear organelle, which is responsible for ribosome biogenesis and many other functions in eukaryotes, including RNA processing, viral replication and tumour suppression. Our knowledge of the human nucleolar proteome has been expanded dramatically by the two recent MS studies on isolated nucleoli from HeLa cells [Andersen, Lyon, Fox, Leung, Lam, Steen, Mann and Lamond (2002) Curr. Biol. 12, 1-11; Scherl, Coute, Deon, Calle, Kindbeiter, Sanchez, Greco, Hochstrasser and Diaz (2002) Mol. Biol. Cell 13, 4100-4109]. Nearly 400 proteins were identified within the nucleolar proteome so far in humans. Approx. 12% of the identified proteins were previously shown to be nucleolar in human cells and, as expected, nearly all of the known housekeeping proteins required for ribosome biogenesis were identified in these analyses. Surprisingly, approx. 30% represented either novel or uncharacterized proteins. This review focuses on how to apply the derived knowledge of this newly recognized nucleolar proteome, such as their amino acid/peptide composition and their homologies across species, to explore the function and dynamics of the nucleolus, and suggests ways to identify, in silico, possible functions of the novel/uncharacterized proteins and potential interaction networks within the human nucleolus, or between the nucleolus and other nuclear organelles, by drawing resources from the public domain.

p53 N-terminal Ser-15 approximately P and Ser-20 approximately P levels in squamous cell lung cancer after radio/chemotherapy

Functional regulation of p53 protein, a critical regulator of cell cycle and apoptosis, was investigated in fiberoptic bronchoscopy biopsy samples taken from 23 patients suffering from recurrent squamous cell lung cancer by analyzing the expression and phosphorylation status of the p53 at Ser15 and Ser20 before and after treatment with radiotherapy/cisplatin/vinorelbine. Poly(ADP-ribose) levels as a marker of cellular DNA damage, expression of wild-type and mutated p53 protein, and Ki-67 expression as a marker of proliferation was also determined. Median p53 expression increased (61% increase) after therapy. p53 phosphorylated on Ser20 was also increased by approximately 57% in radiotherapy/chemotherapy patients, and these changes correlated with Ki-67 proliferation and with elevated (by 69%; P < 0.01) poly(ADP-ribose) levels. Our data indicate that apart from changes in p53 quantity, post-translational phosphorylation/dephosphorylation-mediated alterations, especially at Ser20 may play a role in p53 stabilization and, therefore, in antiproliferative activity of drugs inducing DNA damage and apoptosis.

Temperature-sensitive ovarian carcinoma cell line (OvBH-1)

OvBH-1 cells from a patient with ovarian clear cell carcinoma were established and their biochemical status was analyzed. Cells grown at 37 degrees C exhibited normal cell cycle distribution, whereas the cells shifted to 31 degrees C were arrested in the G(2) / M phase of the cell cycle. Immunochemical analysis using anti-p53 antibodies (DO-1, PAb240, PAb421, and PAb1620) revealed that only the DO-1 antibody reacted with p53 with a high and similar percentage at both temperatures. PAb240 reacted with a low percentage of cells at 37 degrees C and no reaction was observed at 31 degrees C. PAb421 antibody stained a significantly lower percentage of cells at 37 degrees C than at 31 degrees C. Cells were not stained with PAb1620 antibody and were negative for antibodies against p21(WAF1) and MDM2 proteins independently of the temperature. Sequencing of all coding exons of the p53 gene demonstrated only a neutral genetic polymorphism, i.e. a G-to-A substitution (GAG to GAA) at nucleotide position 13 432. Thus, the observed temperature sensitivity of OvBH-1 cells cannot be ascribed to a p53 primary structure mutation. Based upon immunochemical analyses, we consider, however, that p53 in nuclei of OvBH-1 cells is in a highly unstable conformation. Furthermore, the N-terminal portion of the p53 protein at Ser20 has not been modified, and Lys373 and / or Ser378 of the C-terminus is acetylated and / or phosphorylated. The nuclear location signal of p53 is preserved. Induction of MDM2 protein is uncoupled from the cell regulatory machinery and the induction of p21(WAF1) by p53 is impaired in OvBH-1 cells.

Restoration of wild-type conformation and activity of a temperature-sensitive mutant of p53 (p53(V272M)) by the cytoprotective aminothiol WR1065 in the esophageal cancer cell line TE-1

The aminothiol WR1065, the active metabolite of the cytoprotector amifostine, exerts its antimutagenic effects through free-radical scavenging and other unknown mechanisms. In an earlier report, we showed that WR1065 activates wild-type p53 in MCF-7 cells, leading to p53-dependent arrest in the G(1) phase of the cell cycle. To determine whether WR1065 activates p53 by modulating protein conformation, we analyzed its effects on p53 conformation and activity in the esophageal cancer cell line TE-1. This cell line contains a mutation in codon 272 of p53 (p53(V272M), with methionine instead of a valine), conferring temperature-sensitive properties to the p53 protein. At the nonpermissive temperature (37 degrees C), p53(V272M) adopts the mutant p53 conformation (nonreactive with the antibody PAb1620), does not bind specifically to DNA, and is not activated in response to DNA-damaging treatment. However, treatment with 0.5-4 mM WR1065 partially restored wild-type conformation at 37 degrees C, stimulated DNA binding activity, and increased the expression of p53 target genes WAF-1, GADD45, and MDM2, leading to cell-cycle arrest in G(1). These results suggest that WR1065 activates p53 through a mechanism distinct from DNA-damage signaling, which involves modulation of p53 protein conformation.

Repression of RNA polymerase I transcription by the tumor suppressor p53

The tumor suppressor protein p53 is frequently inactivated in tumors. It functions as a transcriptional activator as well as a repressor for a number of viral and cellular promoters transcribed by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) and by RNA Pol III. Moreover, it appears that p53 also suppresses RNA Pol I transcription. In this study, we examined the molecular mechanism of Pol I transcriptional inhibition by p53. We show that wild-type, but not mutant, p53 can repress Pol I transcription from a human rRNA gene promoter in cotransfection assays. Furthermore, we show that recombinant p53 inhibits rRNA transcription in a cell-free transcription system. In agreement with these results, p53-null epithelial cells display an increased Pol I transcriptional activity compared to that of epithelial cells that express p53. However, both cell lines display comparable Pol I factor protein levels. Our biochemical analysis shows that p53 prevents the interaction between SL1 and UBF. Protein-protein interaction assays indicate that p53 binds to SL1, and this interaction is mostly mediated by direct contacts with TATA-binding protein and TAF(I)110. Moreover, template commitment assays show that while the formation of a UBF-SL1 complex can partially relieve the inhibition of transcription, only the assembly of a UBF-SL1-Pol I initiation complex on the rDNA promoter confers substantial protection against p53 inhibition. In summary, our results suggest that p53 represses RNA Pol I transcription by directly interfering with the assembly of a productive transcriptional machinery on the rRNA promoter.