F9 embryonal carcinoma cells fail to stop at G1/S boundary of the cell cycle after gamma-irradiation due to p21WAF1/CIP1 degradation.

We studied the ability of F9 teratocarcinoma cells to arrest in G1/S and G2/M checkpoints after gamma-irradiation. Wild-type p53 protein was rapidly accumulated in F9 cells after gamma-irradiation, however, this was followed not by a G1/S arrest but by a short and reversible delay of the cell cycle in G2/M. In order to elucidate the reasons of the lack of G1/S arrest in F9 cells, we investigated the expression of p53 downstream target Cdk inhibitor p21WAF1/CIP1.

p53 stabilization and functional impairment in the absence of genetic mutation or the alteration of the p14(ARF)-MDM2 loop in ex vivo and cultured adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma cells.

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) transforms T cells in vitro, and the viral transactivator Tax functionally impairs the tumor suppressor p53 protein, which is also stabilized in HTLV-I-infected T cells. Thus, the functional impairment of p53 is essential to maintain the viral-induced proliferation of CD4+ mature T cells. However, in the CD4+ leukemic cells of patients with adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL), the viral transactivator does not appear to be expressed, and p53 mutations have been found only in a fraction of patients.

Differential response to genotoxic stress in immortalized or transformed human T-lymphotropic virus type I-infected T-cells.

Several alterations in the mechanism of cell cycle control have been observed in human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I)-infected cells. Here, it is reported that HTLV-I-infected cells both in their immortalized and transformed phase do not undergo apoptosis following ionizing radiation (IR) treatment. However, when IL-2 withdrawal is combined with genotoxic stress, HTLV-I-infected T-cells in their immortalized phase (IL-2-dependent) undergo apoptosis where as their transformed counterparts (IL-2-independent) do not.

Human T-cell lymphotropic/leukemia virus type 1 Tax abrogates p53-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis through its CREB/ATF functional domain.

Human T-cell lymphotropic/leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) transforms human T cells in vitro, and Tax, a potent transactivator of viral and cellular genes, plays a key role in cell immortalization. Tax activity is mediated by interaction with cellular transcription factors including members of the CREB/ATF family, the NF-kappaB/c-Rel family, serum response factor, and the coactivators CREB binding protein-p300. Although p53 is usually not mutated in HTLV-1-infected T cells, its half-life is increased and its function is impaired.

Accumulated helix-destabilizing mutations in the leucine zipper of c-Fos leads to attenuation and temperature sensitivity of function.

Fos protein heterodimerizes through one surface of an alpha-helical domain called the leucine zipper. We have investigated the effect of destabilizing this domain by multiply substituting small residues of its non-interacting surface with glycine. Ternary complex formation between mutated Fos, Jun and DNA was determined in vitro in the presence of denaturant.