Selective induction of apoptosis through the FADD/caspase-8 pathway by a p53 c-terminal peptide in human pre-malignant and malignant cells.
Authors
Li-Y; Mao-Y; Rosal-RV; Dinnen-RD; Williams-AC; Brandt-Rauf-PW; Fine-RL
Source
Int J Cancer 2005 May; 115(1):55-64
Abstract
A p53 C-terminal peptide (aa 361-382, p53p), fused at its C-terminus to the minimal carrier peptide of antennapedia (17 aa, Ant; p53p-Ant), induced rapid apoptosis in human cancer cells, via activation of the Fas pathway. We examined p53p-Ant mechanism of action, toxicity in various human normal, non-malignant, pre-malignant and malignant cancer cells and investigated its biophysical characteristics. p53p-Ant selectively induced cell death in only pre-malignant or malignant cells in a p53-dependent manner and was not toxic to normal and non-malignant cells. p53p-Ant was more toxic to the mutant p53 than wild-type p53 phenotype in H1299 lung cancer cells stably expressing human temperature-sensitive p53 mutant 143Ala. Surface plasmon resonance (BIACORE) analysis demonstrated that this peptide had higher binding affinity to mutant p53 as compared to wild-type p53. p53p-Ant induced-cell death had the classical morphological characteristics of apoptosis and had no features of necrosis. The mechanism of cell death by p53p-Ant was through the FADD/caspase-8-dependent pathway without the involvement of the TRAIL pathway, Bcl-2 family and cell cycle changes. Blocking Fas with antibody did not alter the peptide's effect, suggesting that Fas itself did not interact with the peptide. Transfection with a dominant-negative FADD with a deleted N-terminus inhibited p53p-Ant-induced apoptosis. Its mechanism of action is related to the FADD-induced pathway without restoration of other p53 functions. p53p-Ant is a novel anticancer agent with unique selectivity for human cancer cells and could be useful as a prototype for the development of new anti-cancer agents.
Keywords
Cancer; Humans; Toxins; Toxic-effects; Biophysics; Lung-cancer; Cell-damage; Pulmonary-system-disorders; Respiratory-system-disorders
Contact
Robert L. Fine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Medical Center, 650 West 168th Street, BB 20-05, New York, NY 10032
Document Type
Journal Article
Email Address
rlf20@columbia.edu
Identifying No.
Grant-Number-R01-OH-007590
Priority Area
Research Tools and Approaches: Cancer Research Methods
Source Name
International Journal of Cancer
Performing Organization
Columbia University Health Sciences
