Life and death decisions by E2F-1.
Deregulation of the transcription factor E2F-1 is a common event in most human cancers. Paradoxically, E2F-1 has been shown to have the ability to induce both cell cycle progression and programmed cell death, leading potentially to both tumour-promoting as well as tumour-suppressive effects. Although the pathway to cell cycle progression seems straightforward with a number of growth-promoting E2F target genes having been described, the pathways to apoptosis are less well defined and more complex. The discovery that E2F-1 'knockout' mice are highly tumour prone has caused a recent surge in the number of reports relating to programmed cell death. This review focuses on these recent findings, highlighting the way in which they have increased our understanding of E2F-1-induced cell death, as well as indicating the questions that remain. Insight gained as to the role of this intriguing molecule in cancer and its potential for targeted therapy will also be discussed.
Bell
L A
LA
Tumour Cell Death Laboratory, Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Cancer Research UK Beatson Laboratories, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK. k.ryan@beatson.gla.ac.uk
Ryan
K M
KM
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002453:Cell Cycle; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D050684:E2F Transcription Factors; D050687:E2F1 Transcription Factor; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009857:Oncogenes / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D050684:E2F Transcription Factors; D050687:E2F1 Transcription Factor; C493753:E2F1 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins