p53-dependent induction of WAF1 by cold shock in human glioblastoma cells

Induction of WAF1 expression was investigated in human glioblastoma cell lines differing in p53 gene statuses after cold shock treatment. Accumulation of both wild-type (wt) and mutant p53 (mp53) was induced by cold shock at 4 degrees C for 60 min, however, WAF1 accumulation was induced by cold shock in A-172 cells carrying the wtp53 but not in T98G cells carrying the mp53. Inactivation of wtp53 by a dominant negative p53 mutant (p53Trp248) abolished cold shock-induced WAF1 expression in A-172 transfectant cells. Furthermore, no WAF1 expression was induced by cold shock in p53-deficient human osteosarcoma Saos-2 cells. Northern blot analysis showed that the WAF1 but not p53 gene was activated by cold shock only in A-172 cells. These findings suggest that WAF1 expression is cold shock-inducible in human glioblastoma cells, and that this induction may be due to signal transduction mediated by p53 in response to non-genotoxic stress, cold shock.