Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors uncouple cell cycle progression from mitochondrial apoptotic functions in DNA-damaged cancer cells.
DNA damage results in transcriptional induction of p53 target genes, including the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor p21(Cip1) (CDKN1A) and the proapoptotic Bcl-2 family member p53 up-regulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA). Depending on the cellular context, p21(Cip1) and PUMA mediate cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, respectively. By imposing cell cycle arrest at the expense of apoptosis, p21(Cip1) can sharply reduce the effectiveness of DNA-damaging anticancer agents in colorectal cancer cells. We investigated the link between cell cycle progression and the onset of apoptosis in DNA-damaged cells by analyzing the activation of the apoptotic cascade in p21(Cip1)-deficient HCT116 colorectal cancer cells. DNA damage induced a similar level of p53 activation and PUMA induction in p21(Cip1)-deficient cells compared with wild-type isogenic counterparts. p21(Cip1) did not act as a direct blocker of PUMA. However, only p21(Cip1)-deficient cells showed extensive cytochrome c release, mitochondrial membrane depolarization, and caspase activation. An increase in caspase activation occurred as these cells reached M-phase and incurred polyploidy. When ectopically expressed in p21(Cip1)-deficient HCT116 cells, p21(Cip1), its family member p27(Kip1), and the structurally unrelated CDK inhibitor p16(Ink4a) were similarly effective at causing cell cycle arrest and inhibiting DNA damage-induced apoptotic events such as cytochrome c release, mitochondrial membrane depolarization, and activation of the caspase cascade. These observations suggest that by blocking dysregulated cell cycle progression, CDK inhibitors can influence the sensitivity of the mitochondria to proapoptotic signals in DNA damage-induced cancer cells.
Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10021, USA.
Hong-Van
HV
Le
Andy J
AJ
Minn
Joan
J
Massagué
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D004249:DNA Damage; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000502:physiology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000502:physiology
D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C438378:BBC3 protein, human; C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D045304:Cytochromes c; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases; D020169:Caspases