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Mitochondrially targeted wild-type p53 induces apoptosis in a solid human tumor xenograft model.

ABSTRACT: Classic but also novel roles of p53 are becoming increasingly well characterized. We previously showed that ex vivo retroviral transfer of mitochondrially targeted wild type p53 (mitop53) in the Emu-myc mouse lymphoma model efficiently induces tumor cell killing in vivo. In an effort to further explore the therapeutic potential of mitop53 for its pro-apoptotic effect in solid tumors, we generated replication-deficient recombinant human Adenovirus type 5 vectors. We show here that adenoviral delivery of mitop53 by intratumoral injection into HCT116 human colon carcinoma xenograft tumors in nude mice is surprisingly effective, resulting in tumor cell death of comparable potency to conventional p53. These apoptotic effects in vivo were confirmed by Ad5-mitop53 mediated cell death of HCT116 cells in culture. Together, these data provide encouragement to further explore the potential for novel mitop53 proteins in cancer therapy to execute the shortest known circuitry of p53 death signaling.

SUBMITTER: Palacios G

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3873818 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Mitochondrially targeted wild-type p53 induces apoptosis in a solid human tumor xenograft model.

Palacios Gustavo G Crawford Howard C HC Vaseva Angelina A Moll Ute M UM

Cell cycle (Georgetown, Tex.) 20080807 16

Classic but also novel roles of p53 are becoming increasingly well characterized. We previously showed that ex vivo retroviral transfer of mitochondrially targeted wild type p53 (mitop53) in the Emu-myc mouse lymphoma model efficiently induces tumor cell killing in vivo. In an effort to further explore the therapeutic potential of mitop53 for its pro-apoptotic effect in solid tumors, we generated replication-deficient recombinant human Adenovirus type 5 vectors. We show here that adenoviral deli ...[more]

PMID: 18719383

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Project description:Targeting the tumor suppressor p53 to the mitochondria triggers a rapid apoptotic response as efficiently as transcription-dependent p53. (1, 2) p53 forms a complex with the antiapoptotic Bcl-XL, which leads to Bak and Bax oligomerization resulting in apoptosis via mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization. (3, 4) Although p53 performs its main role in the mitochondrial outer membrane, it also interacts with different proteins in the mitochondrial inner membrane and matrix. (5, 6) To further investigate mitochondrial activity of p53, EGFP-p53 was fused to different mitochondrial targeting signals (MTSs) directing it to the mitochondrial outer membrane ("XL-MTS" from Bcl-XL; "TOM-MTS" from TOM20), the inner membrane ("CCO-MTS" from cytochrome c oxidase), or matrix ("OTC-MTS" from ornithine transcarbamylase). Fluorescence microscopy and a p53 reporter dual luciferase assay demonstrated that fusing MTSs to p53 increased mitochondrial localization and nuclear exclusion depending on which MTS was used. To examine if the MTSs initiate mitochondrial damage, we fused each individual MTS to EGFP (a nontoxic protein) as negative controls. We performed caspase-9, TUNEL, annexin-V, and 7-AAD apoptosis assays on T47D breast cancer cells transfected with mitochondrial constructs. Except for EGFP-XL, apoptotic potential was observed in all MTS-EGFP-p53 and MTS-EGFP constructs. In addition, EGFP-p53-XL showed the greatest significant increase in programmed cell death compared to its nontoxic MTS control (EGFP-XL). The apoptotic mechanism for each construct was further investigated using pifithrin-? (an inhibitor of p53 transcriptional activity), pifithrin-? (a small molecule that reduces binding of p53 to Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL), and overexpressing the antiapoptotic Bcl-XL. Unlike the MTSs from TOM, CCO, and OTC, which showed different apoptotic mechanisms, we conclude that p53 fused to the MTS from Bcl-XL performs its apoptotic potential exclusively through the p53/Bcl-XL specific pathway.

Project description:BackgroundWhile tumor suppressor p53 functions primarily as a transcription factor in the nucleus, cellular stress can cause p53 to translocate to the mitochondria and directly trigger a rapid apoptotic response. We have previously shown that fusing p53 (or its DNA binding domain, DBD, alone) to the mitochondrial targeting signal (MTS) from Bak or Bax can target p53 to the mitochondria and induce apoptosis in gynecological cancer cell lines including cervical cancer cells (HeLa; wt p53), ovarian cancer cells (SKOV-3; p53 267del non-expressing), and breast cancer cells (T47D; L194F p53 mutation). However, p53 with Bak or Bax MTSs have not been previously tested in cancers with strong dominant negative (DN) mutant p53 which are capable of inactivating wt p53 by homo-oligomerization. Since p53-Bak or Bax MTS constructs act as monomers, they are not subject to DN inhibition. For this study, the utility of p53-Bak or p53-Bax MTS constructs was tested for ovarian cancers which are known to have varying p53 statuses, including a strong DN contact mutant p53 (Ovcar-3 cells), a p53 DN structural mutant (Kuramochi cells), and a p53 wild type, low expressing cells (ID8).ResultsOur mitochondrial p53 constructs were tested for their ability to localize to the mitochondria in both mutant non-expressing p53 (Skov-3) and p53 structural mutant (Kuramochi) cell lines using fluorescence microscopy and a nuclear transcriptional activity assay. The apoptotic activity of these mitochondrial constructs was determined using a mitochondrial outer membrane depolarization assay (TMRE), caspase assay, and a late stage cell death assay (7-AAD). We also tested the possibility of using our constructs with paclitaxel, the current standard of care in ovarian cancer treatment. Our data indicates that our mitochondrial p53 constructs are able to effectively localize to the mitochondria in cancer cells with structural mutant p53 and induce apoptosis in many ovarian cancer cell lines with different p53 statuses. These constructs can also be used in combination with paclitaxel for an increased apoptotic effect.ConclusionsThe results suggest that targeting p53 to mitochondria can be a new strategy for ovarian cancer treatment.

Project description:Studies of radiation interaction with tumor cells often focus on apoptosis as an end point; however, clinically relevant doses of radiation also promote autophagy and senescence. Moreover, functional p53 has frequently been implicated in contributing to radiation sensitivity through the facilitation of apoptosis. To address the involvement of apoptosis, autophagy, senescence and p53 status in the response to radiation, the current studies utilized isogenic H460 non-small cell lung cancer cells that were either p53-wild type (H460wt) or null (H460crp53). As anticipated, radiosensitivity was higher in the H460wt cells than in the H460crp53 cell line; however, this differential radiation sensitivity did not appear to be a consequence of apoptosis. Furthermore, radiosensitivity did not appear to be reduced in association with the promotion of autophagy, as autophagy was markedly higher in the H460wt cells. Despite radiosensitization by chloroquine in the H460wt cells, the radiation-induced autophagy proved to be essentially nonprotective, as inhibition of autophagy via 3-methyl adenine (3-MA), bafilomycin A1 or ATG5 silencing failed to alter radiation sensitivity or promote apoptosis in either the H460wt or H460crp53 cells. Radiosensitivity appeared to be most closely associated with senescence, which occurred earlier and to a greater extent in the H460wt cells. This finding is consistent with the in-depth proteomics analysis on the secretomes from the H460wt and H460crp53 cells (with or without radiation exposure) that showed no significant association with radioresistance-related proteins, whereas several senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors were upregulated in H460wt cells relative to H460crp53 cells. Taken together, these findings indicate that senescence, rather than apoptosis, plays a central role in determination of radiosensitivity; furthermore, autophagy is likely to have minimal influence on radiosensitivity under conditions where autophagy takes the nonprotective form.

Project description:Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive form of breast cancer, and is associated with a poor prognosis due to frequent distant metastasis and lack of effective targeted therapies. Previously, we identified maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK) to be highly expressed in TNBCs as compared with ER-positive breast cancers. Here we determined the molecular mechanism by which MELK is overexpressed in TNBCs. Analysis of publicly available data sets revealed that MELK mRNA is elevated in p53-mutant breast cancers. Consistent with this observation, MELK protein levels are higher in p53-mutant vs. p53 wild-type breast cancer cells. Furthermore, inactivation of wild-type p53, by loss or mutation of the p53 gene, increases MELK expression, whereas overexpression of wild-type p53 in p53-null cells reduces MELK promoter activity and MELK expression. We further analyzed MELK expression in breast cancer data sets and compared that with known wild-type p53 target genes. This analysis revealed that MELK expression strongly correlates with genes known to be suppressed by wild-type p53. Promoter deletion studies identified a p53-responsive region within the MELK promoter that did not map to the p53 consensus response elements, but to a region containing a FOXM1-binding site. Consistent with this result, knockdown of FOXM1 reduced MELK expression in p53-mutant TNBC cells and expression of wild-type p53 reduced FOXM1 expression. ChIP assays demonstrated that expression of wild-type p53 reduces binding of E2F1 (a critical transcription factor controlling FOXM1 expression) to the FOXM1 promoter, thereby, reducing FOXM1 expression. These results show that wild-type p53 suppresses FOXM1 expression, and thus MELK expression, through indirect mechanisms. Overall, these studies demonstrate that wild-type p53 represses MELK expression by inhibiting E2F1A-dependent transcription of FOXM1 and that mutation-driven loss of wild-type p53, which frequently occurs in TNBCs, induces MELK expression by suppressing FOXM1 expression and activity in p53-mutant breast cancers.

Dataset Information

Mitochondrially targeted wild-type p53 induces apoptosis in a solid human tumor xenograft model.

Publications

Mitochondrially targeted wild-type p53 induces apoptosis in a solid human tumor xenograft model.

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