MUTATIONAL AND FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE P53 TUMOR SUPPRESSOR GENE

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We are investigating the molecular mechanisms of p53-mediated apoptosis. Our previous studies have identified a novel pathway of apoptosis involving the functional and physical interaction of p53 with DNA helicases, XPB and XPD. We have extended these studies to other members of the RecQ helicase family, BLM and WRN, that are linked to cancer predisposition syndromes, Bloom and Werner, respectively. Germline mutations in WRN are found in patients with the premature aging and cancer susceptibility syndrome known as Werner syndrome (WS). p53 binds to the WRN protein in vivo and in vitro through its carboxyl terminus. WS fibroblasts have an attenuated p53-mediated apoptotic response, and this deficiency can be rescued by expression of wild-type WRN. These data support the hypothesis that p53 can induce apoptosis through the modulation of specific DExH-containing DNA helicases and may have implications for the cancer predisposition observed in WS patients.Bloom syndrome (BS) is an autosomal recessive genomic instability syndrome characterized by growth retardation, immune deficiency and cancer predisposition. Similar to cells from XPB, XPD or WS individuals who have an attenuated p53-dependent apoptotic pathway, p53-mediated apoptosis also is defective in BS fibroblasts. This apoptotic pathway can be functionally rescued by the expression of the wild-type (wt) BLM gene. Lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) derived from BS donors are resistant to either gamma-radiation or adriamycin-induced cell killing, and also can be rescued by the wt BLM. In contrast, BS cells have a normal Fas-mediated apoptosis, and a normal DNA damage- induced p53 accumulation and G1-S and G2-M cell cycle checkpoints. BLM localizes in nuclear foci identified as PML nuclear bodies (NBs), a structure that also contains the promyelocytic leukemia protein (PML), Rb, SUMO-1 and others, and may be involved in apoptosis. Cells from Li- Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) patients carrying p53 germline mutations have a decreased number of BLM foci. The induction of p53 increased the number of BLM foci, but did not alter either BLM levels or the number of NBs. These results indicate a novel function of p53 and are consistent with the hypothesis that, nuclear trafficking of BLM to NBs mediated by p53, contributes to its apoptotic activity. - Apoptosis, DNA repair, p, , Tumor Suppressor, - Human Tissues, Fluids, Cells, etc.