title: Cyclin E and c-Myc promote cell proliferation in the presence of p16INK4a and of hypophosphorylated retinoblastoma family proteins.
abstract: Retroviral expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor p16(INK4a) in rodent fibroblasts induces dephosphorylation of pRb, p107 and p130 and leads to G1 arrest. Prior expression of cyclin E allows S-phase entry and long-term proliferation in the presence of p16. Cyclin E prevents neither the dephosphorylation of pRb family proteins, nor their association with E2F proteins in response to p16. Thus, cyclin E can bypass the p16/pRb growth-inhibitory pathway downstream of pRb activation. Retroviruses expressing E2F-1, -2 or -3 also prevent p16-induced growth arrest but are ineffective against the cyclin E-CDK2 inhibitor p27(Kip1), suggesting that E2F cannot substitute for cyclin E activity. Thus, cyclin E possesses an E2F-independent function required to enter S-phase. However, cyclin E may not simply bypass E2F function in the presence of p16, since it restores expression of E2F-regulated genes such as cyclin A or CDC2. Finally, c-Myc bypasses the p16/pRb pathway with effects indistinguishable from those of cyclin E. We suggest that this effect of Myc is mediated by its action upstream of cyclin E-CDK2, and occurs via the neutralization of p27(Kip1) family proteins, rather than induction of Cdc25A. Our data imply that oncogenic activation of c-Myc, and possibly also of cyclin E, mimics loss of the p16/pRb pathway during oncogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alevizopoulos
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vlach
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hennecke
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Amati
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology*; D019927:Cyclin E / Q000378:metabolism*; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D050684:E2F Transcription Factors; D050687:E2F1 Transcription Factor; D051379:Mice; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011506:Proteins; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D056465:Retinoblastoma-Binding Protein 1; D050720:Retinoblastoma-Like Protein p107; D050717:Retinoblastoma-Like Protein p130; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000235:genetics; D050680:Transcription Factor DP1; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C533431:Arid4a protein, mouse; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D019927:Cyclin E; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D050684:E2F Transcription Factors; D050687:E2F1 Transcription Factor; C493754:E2f1 protein, mouse; C493755:E2f1 protein, rat; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011506:Proteins; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; C489485:Rbl1 protein, mouse; C493838:Rbl2 protein, mouse; C493839:Rbl2 protein, rat; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein; D056465:Retinoblastoma-Binding Protein 1; D050720:Retinoblastoma-Like Protein p107; D050717:Retinoblastoma-Like Protein p130; D050680:Transcription Factor DP1; D014157:Transcription Factors