title: Mutant p53 enhances nuclear factor kappaB activation by tumor necrosis factor alpha in cancer cells.
abstract: Mutations in the p53 tumor suppressor are very frequent in human cancer. Often, such mutations lead to the constitutive overproduction of mutant p53 proteins, which may exert a cancer-promoting gain of function. We now report that cancer-associated mutant p53 can augment the induction of nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB) transcriptional activity in response to the cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha). Conversely, down-regulation of endogenous mutant p53 sensitizes cancer cells to the apoptotic effects of TNFalpha. Analysis of human head and neck tumors and lung tumors reveals a close correlation between the presence of abundant mutant p53 proteins and the constitutive activation of NFkappaB. Together, these findings suggest that p53 mutations may promote cancer progression by augmenting NFkappaB activation in the context of chronic inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
authors.forename: Lilach
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Weisz
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Damalas
authors.forename: Michalis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liontos
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Karakaidos
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fontemaggi
authors.forename: Revital
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maor-Aloni
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalis
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Levrero
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Strano
authors.forename: Vassilis G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Gorgoulis
authors.forename: Varda
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rotter
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Blandino
authors.forename: Moshe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oren
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D015536:Down-Regulation; D016158:Genes, p53; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016328:NF-kappa B; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C495901:TP53 protein, human; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53