The tumor suppressor p53 is structurally or functionally inactivated in most human tumors. In those tumors that retain structurally intact p53, p53 signaling is often activated through altered expression of p53 regulators, such as Mdm2 or ARF. We have been investigating a p53 transcription target that encodes the serine/threonine phosphatase Wip1 (also known as PPM1D). Like Mdm2 and ARF, Wip1 appears to regulate p53 function. We have shown that Wip1 inhibits p53 function through multiple mechanisms, including (1) dephosphorylation and inhibition of p53 kinases, (2) dephosphorylation of p53 itself, and (3) dephosphorylation and stabilization of Mdm2, which leads to p53 degradation. In addition to its inhibitory effects on p53, we have also shown that Wip1 dephosphorylates a number of proteins that are phosphorylated by the ATM and ATR kinases in the cellular DNA damage response. We hypothesize that Wip1 acts as a homeostatic regulator of the DNA damage response by facilitating the return of the damaged cell back to a pre-stress state once damage is repaired. The negative effects of Wip1 on p53 make Wip1 an obvious oncogene candidate. In fact, breast cancers and several other human cancer types display amplification and overexpression of the Wip1 gene. Moreover, Wip1 acts as an oncogene in rodent fibroblast transformation assays and we have shown that mice lacking Wip1 are resistant to tumors. To better understand Wip1 function in oncogenesis and regulation of the DNA damage response, we propose three specific aims.
Aim 1 will focus on Wip1 structure/function relationships through mutagenic ascertainment of the Wip1 catalytic site and by examination of Wip1/target protein interaction domains.
Aim 2 entails the identification and functional characterization of novel Wip1 targets important in the ATM/ATR-mediated DNA damage response. Finally, Aim 3 will use genetically engineered mouse models to examine ATM/Wip1 and p53/Wip1 interactions as well as Wip1-mediated genomic integrity in an in vivo context.

Public Health Relevance

We propose to investigate the functions of a p53 regulated oncogene, Wip1, that plays an important role in cell cycle control and the DNA damage response. Wip1 is a phosphatase that is oncogenic in part because it inhibits p53 function. Specifically, we plan to study the structure of Wip1, identify new targets of Wip1, how it interacts with those targets, and the functional consequences of such interactions. Finally, we would like to understand how Wip1 effects physiological processes in an intact mammal, the mouse.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01CA100420-09
Application #
8018191
Study Section
Molecular Oncogenesis Study Section (MONC)
Program Officer
Pelroy, Richard
Project Start
2003-04-01
Project End
2013-01-31
Budget Start
2011-02-01
Budget End
2012-01-31
Support Year
9
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$258,838
Indirect Cost
Name
Baylor College of Medicine
Department
Microbiology/Immun/Virology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
051113330
City
Houston
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77030
Darlington, Y; Nguyen, T-A; Moon, S-H et al. (2012) Absence of Wip1 partially rescues Atm deficiency phenotypes in mice. Oncogene 31:1155-65
Moon, Sung-Hwan; Nguyen, Thuy-Ai; Darlington, Yolanda et al. (2010) Dephosphorylation of ?-H2AX by WIP1: an important homeostatic regulatory event in DNA repair and cell cycle control. Cell Cycle 9:2092-6
Liu, Hongbing; Herrmann, Christine H; Chiang, Karen et al. (2010) 55K isoform of CDK9 associates with Ku70 and is involved in DNA repair. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 397:245-50
Moon, Sung-Hwan; Lin, Lin; Zhang, Xinna et al. (2010) Wild-type p53-induced phosphatase 1 dephosphorylates histone variant gamma-H2AX and suppresses DNA double strand break repair. J Biol Chem 285:12935-47
Nguyen, Thuy-Ai; Slattery, Scott D; Moon, Sung-Hwan et al. (2010) The oncogenic phosphatase WIP1 negatively regulates nucleotide excision repair. DNA Repair (Amst) 9:813-23
Reddy, Jay P; Peddibhotla, Sirisha; Bu, Wen et al. (2010) Defining the ATM-mediated barrier to tumorigenesis in somatic mammary cells following ErbB2 activation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 107:3728-33
Hinkal, George W; Gatza, Catherine E; Parikh, Neha et al. (2009) Altered senescence, apoptosis, and DNA damage response in a mutant p53 model of accelerated aging. Mech Ageing Dev 130:262-71
Lu, Xiongbin; Nguyen, Thuy-Ai; Moon, Sung-Hwan et al. (2008) The type 2C phosphatase Wip1: an oncogenic regulator of tumor suppressor and DNA damage response pathways. Cancer Metastasis Rev 27:123-35
Castellino, Robert C; De Bortoli, Massimiliano; Lu, Xiongbin et al. (2008) Medulloblastomas overexpress the p53-inactivating oncogene WIP1/PPM1D. J Neurooncol 86:245-56
Nannenga, Bonnie; Lu, Xiongbin; Dumble, Melissa et al. (2006) Augmented cancer resistance and DNA damage response phenotypes in PPM1D null mice. Mol Carcinog 45:594-604

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