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Mol. Cell. Biol., 10 1997, 5699-5706, Vol 17, No. 10
GW Verhaegh, MJ Richard and P Hainaut
Mutations in the p53 tumor suppressor gene frequently fall within the
specific DNA-binding domain and prevent the molecule from transactivating
normal targets. DNA-binding activity is regulated in vitro by metal ions
and by redox conditions, but whether these factors also regulate p53 in
vivo is unclear. To address this question, we have analyzed the effect of
pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) on p53 DNA- binding activity in cell
lines expressing wild-type p53. PDTC is commonly regarded as an
antioxidant, but it can also bind and transport external copper ions into
cells and thus exert either pro- or antioxidant effects in different
situations. We report that PDTC, but not N-acetyl-L-cysteine,
down-regulated the specific DNA-binding activity of p53. Loss of DNA
binding correlated with disruption of the immunologically "wild-type" p53
conformation. Using different chelators to interfere with copper transport
by PDTC, we found that bathocuproinedisulfonic acid (BCS), a
non-cell-permeable chelator of Cu1+, prevented both copper import and p53
down-regulation. In contrast, 1,10-orthophenanthroline, a cell-permeable
chelator of Cu2+, promoted the redox activity of copper and up-regulated
p53 DNA-binding activity through a DNA damage-dependent pathway. We have
previously reported that p53 protein binds copper in vitro in the form of
Cu1+ (P. Hainaut, N. Rolley, M. Davies, and J. Milner, Oncogene 10:27-32,
1995). The data reported here indicate that intracellular levels and redox
activity of copper are critical for p53 protein conformation and DNA-
binding activity and suggest that copper ions may participate in the
physiological control of p53 function.
Copyright © 1997, American Society for Microbiology
Regulation of p53 by metal ions and by antioxidants: dithiocarbamate down-regulates p53 DNA-binding activity by increasing the intracellular level of copper
Unit of Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France.
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