Antagonism of p53-dependent apoptosis by mitogen signals

Cancer Res. 1999 Jun 15;59(12):2847-52.

Abstract

p53-mediated apoptosis is antagonized by growth factor stimulation. Here, we show that p53-dependent cell death induced by DNA damage was effectively prevented by mitogen activation. The levels of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, and Bax were not altered by cisplatin treatment and mitogen rescue. Instead, the protection against p53-regulated apoptosis was mediated by at least three distinct signaling pathways. Either phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase or mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) antagonized p53-induced apoptosis, and an additive preventive effect was observed when both kinases were activated. However, the combination of PI 3-kinase and MEK was not sufficient to completely prevent apoptosis induced by DNA damage. Mitogen activation further suppressed cisplatin-induced p53 expression, and the inhibition was mainly dependent on the Ca2+ pathway. Our results demonstrate that effective antagonism of p53-dependent apoptosis by mitogenic activation requires the presence of multiple signal pathways, including PI 3-kinase, MEK, and Ca2+.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis*
  • Calcimycin / pharmacology
  • Cell Line, Transformed
  • Cisplatin / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Ionophores / pharmacology
  • Mice
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases
  • Mitogens / pharmacology*
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / metabolism
  • Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / biosynthesis
  • Signal Transduction
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocytes / pathology
  • Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / pharmacology
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • bcl-2-Associated X Protein
  • bcl-X Protein

Substances

  • BAX protein, human
  • BCL2L1 protein, human
  • Bax protein, mouse
  • Bcl2l1 protein, mouse
  • Ionophores
  • Mitogens
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
  • bcl-2-Associated X Protein
  • bcl-X Protein
  • Calcimycin
  • Protein Kinases
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases
  • Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate
  • Cisplatin