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Published on: November 5, 2014
Regulation of p14ARF through subnuclear compartmentalization
Ruth A Gjerset1, Keya Bandyopadhyay
1Department of Cancer Cell Biology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, San Diego, California 92121, USA. rgjerset@skcc.org
Abstract:
The p53-mediated pathway cell cycle arrest and apoptosis is central to cancer and an important point of focus for therapeutics development. The p14ARF ("ARF") tumor suppressor induces the p53 pathway in response to oncogene activation or DNA damage. However, ARF is predominantly nucleolar in localization and engages in several interactions with nucleolar proteins, whereas p53 is nucleoplasmic. This raises the question as to how ARF initiates its involvement in the p53 pathway. We have found that UV irradiation of cells disrupts the interaction of ARF with two of its nucleolar binding partners, B23 (NPM, nucleophosmin, NO38, numatrin) and topoisomerase I, and promotes an immediate and transient subnuclear redistribution of ARF to the nucleoplasm, where it can engage the p53 pathway (Lee et al, Cancer Res 65:9834-42; 2005). The results support a model in which the nucleolus serves as a p53 upstream sensor of cellular stress, and add to a growing body of evidence that nucleolar sequestration of ARF prevents activation of p53. The results also have therapeutic implications for therapies based on exploiting p53 and other cellular stress response pathways to suppress cancer.
Insights
The nucleolus acts as a cellular stress sensor. UV irradiation causes p14ARF (ARF) to move to the nucleoplasm, activating the p53 pathway for cancer therapy.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- The p53 pathway is crucial for cancer suppression, regulating cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.
- p14ARF (ARF) is a tumor suppressor that activates the p53 pathway in response to cellular stress.
- ARF's nucleolar localization contrasts with p53's nucleoplasmic location, posing a question about ARF's pathway initiation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mechanism by which ARF, localized in the nucleolus, initiates p53 pathway activation.
- To elucidate the role of nucleolar proteins in ARF's function.
- To explore the therapeutic potential of targeting ARF and p53 interactions in cancer.
Main Methods:
- UV irradiation of cells to induce DNA damage and cellular stress.
- Analysis of subnuclear localization of ARF.
- Investigation of ARF interactions with nucleolar proteins, specifically B23 (NPM) and topoisomerase I.
Main Results:
- UV irradiation disrupts ARF interactions with B23 and topoisomerase I.
- ARF undergoes a transient redistribution from the nucleolus to the nucleoplasm following UV irradiation.
- This nucleoplasmic translocation allows ARF to engage with and activate the p53 pathway.
Conclusions:
- The nucleolus functions as an upstream sensor of cellular stress, modulating p53 pathway activity.
- ARF's sequestration within the nucleolus normally inhibits p53 activation.
- These findings have therapeutic implications for cancer treatments targeting cellular stress response pathways.
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