title: Reduction of apoptosis in Rb-deficient embryos via Abl knockout.
abstract: The retinoblastoma protein RB regulates cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Homozygous knockout of Rb in mice causes embryonic lethality owing to placental defects that result in excessive apoptosis. RB binds to a number of cellular proteins including the nuclear Abl protein and inhibits its tyrosine kinase activity. Ex vivo experiments have shown that genotoxic or inflammatory stress can activate Abl kinase to stimulate apoptosis. Employing the Rb-null embryos as an in vivo model of apoptosis, we have shown that the genetic ablation of Abl can reduce apoptosis in the developing central nervous system and the embryonic liver. These results are consistent with the inhibitory interaction between RB and Abl, and provide in vivo evidence for the proapoptotic function of Abl.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Moores Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Hunton
authors.forename: J Y J
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D047108:Embryonic Development; D016313:Genes, abl / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein / Q000172:deficiency*
chemical_list: D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein