Loss of tumor suppressor p53 decreases PTEN expression and enhances signaling pathways leading to activation of activator protein 1 and nuclear factor kappaB induced by UV radiation.

Abstract

Transcription factor p53 and phosphatase PTEN are two tumor suppressors that play essential roles in suppression of carcinogenesis. However, the mechanisms by which p53 mediates anticancer activity and the relationship between p53 and PTEN are not well understood. In the present study, we found that pretreatment of mouse epidermal Cl41 cells with pifithrin-alpha, an inhibitor for p53-dependent transcriptional activation, resulted in a marked increase in UV-induced activation of activator protein 1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB). Consistent with activation of AP-1 and NF-kappaB, pifithrin-alpha was also able to enhance the UV-induced phosphorylation of c-Jun-NH2-kinases (JNK) and p38 kinase, whereas it did not show any effect on phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases. Furthermore, the UV-induced signal activation, including phosphorylation of JNK, p38 kinase, Akt, and p70S6K, was significantly enhanced in p53-deficient cells (p53-/-), which can be reversed by p53 reconstitution. In addition, knockdown of p53 expression by its small interfering RNA also caused the elevation of AP-1 activation and Akt phosphorylation induced by UV radiation. These results show that p53 has a suppressive activity on the cell signaling pathways leading to activation of AP-1 and NF-kappaB in cell response to UV radiation. More importantly, deficiency of p53 expression resulted in a decrease in PTEN protein expression, suggesting that p53 plays a critical role in the regulation of PTEN expression. In addition, overexpression of wild-type PTEN resulted in inhibition of UV-induced AP-1 activity. Because PTEN is a well-known phosphatase involved in the regulation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI-3K)/Akt signaling pathway, taken together with the evidence that PI-3K/Akt plays an important role in the activation of AP-1 and NF-kappaB during tumor development, we anticipate that inhibition of AP-1 and NF-kappaB by tumor suppressor p53 seems to be mediated via PTEN, which may be a novel mechanism involved in anticancer activity of p53 protein.

• Authors: Jian Wang, Weiming Ouyang, Jingxia Li, Lixin Wei, Qian Ma, Zhuo Zhang, Qiangsong Tong, Jie He, Chuanshu Huang
• Journal: Cancer research (Cancer Res) Vol. 65 Issue 15 Pg. 6601-11 (Aug 01 2005) ISSN: 0008-5472 [Print] United States
• PMID: 16061640 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Benzothiazoles
• NF-kappa B
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins
• RNA, Small Interfering
• Thiazoles
• Transcription Factor AP-1
• Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
• Tumor Suppressor Proteins
• Toluene
• pifithrin
• Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
• Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 70-kDa
• JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
• p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
• Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases
• PTEN Phosphohydrolase

Topics

• Animals
• Benzothiazoles
• Cell Line
• Down-Regulation
• Epidermis (enzymology)
• JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (metabolism)
• MAP Kinase Signaling System
• Mice
• NF-kappa B (physiology, radiation effects)
• PTEN Phosphohydrolase
• Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases (biosynthesis)
• Phosphorylation (radiation effects)
• Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases (metabolism)
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins (metabolism)
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
• RNA, Small Interfering (genetics)
• Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 70-kDa (metabolism)
• Thiazoles (pharmacology)
• Toluene (analogs & derivatives, pharmacology)
• Transcription Factor AP-1 (physiology, radiation effects)
• Transfection
• Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 (antagonists & inhibitors, genetics, physiology)
• Tumor Suppressor Proteins (biosynthesis)
• Ultraviolet Rays
• p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (metabolism)