The p53 tumor suppressor initiates cell cycle arrest, senescence, and apoptosis programs to prevent abnormal cell proliferation. All three activities contribute to tumor suppression in vivo. We and others have performed wild-type p53 reconstitution experiments in tumors that lacked p53 and observed tumor regression. Deletions of p53 are, however, uncommon in human cancers. In fact, more than 80% of tumors with alterations of the p53 gene acquire missense mutations in p53 rather than p53 deletions. This distinction is critical because p53 missense mutations clearly display gain-of-function and/or dominant-negative activities in vivo. Additionally, over-expression of MDM2 and MDM4 which encode p53 inhibitors are also common events in tumorigenesis and contribute to inactivation of the p53 pathway. The objective of this proposal is to genetically reconstitute wild-type p53 in the context of a tumor cell with the kinds of alterations that are observed in human cancers. Intriguing preliminary data from my laboratory indicates that tumors that develop as a result of a p53 mutation rather than loss of p53 respond differently to reactivation of wild-type p53: tumor responses in the p53 mutant background are muted and lead to tumor stasis, not tumor regression, by unknown mechanisms.
Aim 1 is focused on unraveling these mechanisms. Although p53 has not yet been reactivated in tumors with high levels of Mdm2 or Mdm4, we surmise from their exquisite regulation of p53 that high levels of Mdm2 and Mdm4 would swamp out the activities of a reintroduced p53. We plan to increase wild-type p53 levels in tumors with high levels of Mdm2 and Mdm4 (aim 2). Lastly, data suggest that the genotype of the cells surrounding the tumor affects tumor growth and therapeutic response. Current mouse models do not address the role of the surrounding normal tissue as all cells of the genetically modified mouse have p53 defects. We plan to create and evaluate a somatic model that recapitulates a p53 mutation in a single cell surrounded by normal cells (aim 3).

Public Health Relevance

The cell cycle arrest, senescence, and apoptosis activities of p53 contribute to tumor suppression and a normal cell must overcome these activities to proliferate and form a tumor cell. Multiple mechanisms inactivate the p53 pathway in human cancers. The objective of this proposal is to genetically reconstitute wild-type p53 in the context of a tumor cell with the kinds of alterations that are observed in human cancers.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01CA082577-12
Application #
8107494
Study Section
Cancer Molecular Pathobiology Study Section (CAMP)
Program Officer
Watson, Joanna M
Project Start
1999-09-01
Project End
2014-12-31
Budget Start
2011-01-01
Budget End
2011-12-31
Support Year
12
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$303,098
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Department
Genetics
Type
Other Domestic Higher Education
DUNS #
800772139
City
Houston
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77030
Zhang, Yun; Xiong, Shunbin; Liu, Bin et al. (2018) Somatic Trp53 mutations differentially drive breast cancer and evolution of metastases. Nat Commun 9:3953
Larsson, Connie A; Moyer, Sydney M; Liu, Bin et al. (2018) Synergistic and additive effect of retinoic acid in circumventing resistance to p53 restoration. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 115:2198-2203
Tonnessen-Murray, Crystal A; Lozano, Guillermina; Jackson, James G (2017) The Regulation of Cellular Functions by the p53 Protein: Cellular Senescence. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 7:
Pourebrahim, Rasoul; Zhang, Yun; Liu, Bin et al. (2017) Integrative genome analysis of somatic p53 mutant osteosarcomas identifies Ets2-dependent regulation of small nucleolar RNAs by mutant p53 protein. Genes Dev 31:1847-1857
Quintás-Cardama, Alfonso; Post, Sean M; Solis, Luisa M et al. (2014) Loss of the novel tumour suppressor and polarity gene Trim62 (Dear1) synergizes with oncogenic Ras in invasive lung cancer. J Pathol 234:108-19
Xiong, Shunbin; Tu, Huolin; Kollareddy, Madhusudhan et al. (2014) Pla2g16 phospholipase mediates gain-of-function activities of mutant p53. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 111:11145-50
Jackson, James G; Pant, Vinod; Li, Qin et al. (2012) p53-mediated senescence impairs the apoptotic response to chemotherapy and clinical outcome in breast cancer. Cancer Cell 21:793-806
Xiong, Shunbin; Parker-Thornburg, Jan; Lozano, Guillermina (2012) Developing genetically engineered mouse models to study tumor suppression. Curr Protoc Mouse Biol 2:9-24
Wang, Yongxing; Suh, Young-Ah; Fuller, Maren Y et al. (2011) Restoring expression of wild-type p53 suppresses tumor growth but does not cause tumor regression in mice with a p53 missense mutation. J Clin Invest 121:893-904
Abbas, Hussein A; Pant, Vinod; Lozano, Guillermina (2011) The ups and downs of p53 regulation in hematopoietic stem cells. Cell Cycle 10:3257-62

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