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Biomedical subjects

J Milner

Publications and source records attributed to J Milner.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

BRCA2 associates with acetyltransferase activity when bound to P/CAF.

Predisposition to hereditary breast cancer has been attributed in part to inherited mutations in the BRCA2 gene. The large protein it encodes is still poorly characterized with respect to functions. We have previously shown that BRCA2 has transcriptional activation potential conferred by its amino-terminal third exon. Here, we show that BRCA2 interacts with a transcriptional co-activator protein, P/CAF, which possesses histone acetyltransferase activity. The interaction with P/CAF is demonstrated in vitro as well as in vivo and is shown to be mediated by residues 290-453 of BRCA2. Consistent with the binding to an acetyltransferase, BRCA2 is shown to associate with acetyltransferase activity in nuclear extracts. Contrary to a recent report, we find no evidence in support of an intrinsic HAT activity in BRCA2 amino-terminus. Our results further substantiate the notion that BRCA2 has transcriptional activation function and suggest that one mechanism by which BRCA2 regulates transcription may be through the recruitment of histone-modifying activity of the P/CAF co-activator.

Acetyltransferases↗
PubMed1998

Isolation of canine p53 cDNA and detailed characterization of the full length canine p53 protein.

The p53 tumour suppressor protein plays a central role in the maintenance of genomic integrity. Mutations of the p53 gene are found in a number of canine cancers and many contribute to tumour formation. Here we describe isolation and expression of the complete wild type canine p53 cDNA. The encoded full length canine p53 protein displays strong sequence homology with p53 proteins from other higher vertebrates. Canine p53 protein produced in vitro was shown to recognize and bind to p53-specific DNA targets derived from the p21 and GADD45 promoters and to a consensus p53 binding site. We also show that canine p53 associates with oligonucleotides representing damaged DNA sites and undergoes proteolytic cleavage similar to that described for murine and human p53 proteins. Finally, we show that the canine p53 protein is able to transcriptionally activate a p53-dependent reporter gene in vivo. The results suggest that canine p53 is similar both in structure and function to human p53 and that canine cancer may provide a useful clinical model in the search for effective anti-cancer therapies based on p53.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Mutations of the p53 gene in canine lymphoma and evidence for germ line p53 mutations in the dog.

Mutations of the p53 gene are associated with a number of non-lymphoid cancers of the dog. The present study investigates the p53 gene status within canine patients treated for primary and secondary lymphoma. Three out of eight patients exhibited p53 gene mutations. These included one patient with a germ line mutation and two patients with de novo p53 mutations associated with the secondary lymphoma. Allelic loss of the p53 gene was also observed within primary and secondary tumours of the three canine patients. The results indicate that germ line p53 mutations exist in dogs and may be involved in the known predisposition of some breeds to cancer. The presence of therapy-related p53 point mutations was found to be associated with chemoresistant secondary lymphomas. A causative role for DNA-damaging chemotherapy in de novo mutation of the p53 gene is discussed. Characterization of p53 inactivation in canine tumorigenesis may provide a valuable clinical model for assessing the efficacy and optimal therapeutic regimens of anti-cancer agents.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗
PubMed1998

Temperature sensitivity of human wild-type and mutant p53 proteins expressed in vivo.

p53 is activated in response to DNA damage and functions in the maintenance of genetic integrity. Loss of p53 function because of mutation of the p53 gene is associated with over half all human cancers. Certain human p53 mutants are conformationally flexible in vitro and are temperature sensitive, with partial or complete recovery of wild-type (wt) properties at 32 degrees C. We have now tested the functional capacities of selected p53 mutants in vivo, by transfection into established human cell lines. Unexpectedly, we found that wt p53 can be temperature sensitive for transactivation of a co-transfected target gene in vivo. Flexible mutants retained varying degrees of functional capacity in transfected cells, and the recipient cell line appeared to be a significant determinant of both wt and mutant p53 function; importantly, two p53 null cell lines commonly used to study p53 function (Saos-2 and Hep3B) differed markedly in this latter respect. We also show that the p53 mutant V272M, which exhibits sequence-specific DNA binding in vitro, is nonetheless defective for transactivation and is unable to induce apoptosis in vivo. The valine 272 residue may thus be crucial for properties (other than sequence-specific DNA binding) that are important for p53 function(s) in vivo.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed1998

Small mammal survival and trapability in mark-recapture monitoring programs for hantavirus.

Following the 1993 hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) epidemic in the south-western United States, mammalogists and epidemiologists instituted long-term studies to monitor population density and prevalence of infection in rodents which constitute the reservoir for Sin Nombre virus (SNV). In this study, field techniques used in sampling small mammals for SNV infection were evaluated to determine if trapping and handling protocols were having significant effects on future trapability or mortality of animals. We compared rodent mark-recapture control plots, on which all rodents were simply measured, marked, and released on site, with experimental plots on which all animals were anesthetized with methoxyflurane, sampled for blood and saliva, measured, marked, and released. Blood samples were obtained from anesthetized animals on the experimental plots via a retro-orbital sinus puncture using a heparinized capillary tube. Dacron tipped oral swabs were used to collect buccal cells and saliva from the rodent's oral cavity. Field data were collected monthly from August 1994 to August 1996 at two sites in New Mexico (USA). Analyses were based on 3,661 captures of 1,513 individuals representing 21 species from three rodent families (Rodentia: Muridae, Heteromyidae, Sciuridae) and two species of rabbits (Lagomorpha: Leporidae). Overall, for most murid rodents (including five Peromyscus spp., Neotoma albigula, and Onychomys leucogaster) and one rabbit species (Sylvilagus floridanus), the handling/bleeding procedures had no significant effects on recapture rates or mortality. In contrast, several species of heteromyids (Dipodomys ordii and Perognathus flavus), one murid (Reithrodontomys megalotis) and one leporid (S. auduboni) suffered higher mortality rates, and heteromyid kangaroo rats (D. ordii and D. merriami) exhibited lower trapability as a result of the anesthesia and sampling procedures. In view of the overall non-significant influence of the sampling procedures on murid rodents, the anesthesia and blood/saliva sampling protocols described herein appear to be appropriate for hantavirus research, and may serve as a model for environmental monitoring of other zoonotic agents and their reservoirs.

Animal Welfare↗
PubMed1997

Rapamycin and p53 act on different pathways to induce G1 arrest in mammalian cells.

Certain growth regulatory kinases contain a common domain related to the phospho-inositol 3 (PI-3) kinase catalytic site. These include the ATM gene product, DNA-PKcs, and the target of rapamycin (TOR in yeast; and FRAP in mammalian cells). Rapamycin inhibits growth factor signalling and induces G1 arrest in many cell types. Some growth regulatory PI-3 kinases appear functionally linked to p53 and we have explored potential links between cellular effects induced by rapamycin and p53. In p53 null cells rapamycin inhibited cell cycling but did not induce G1 arrest. In cells which showed selective G1 arrest in response to rapamycin, rapamycin had no effect on basal levels of p53 protein. Similarly p21(WAF1) protein was not induced by rapamycin. The kinetics of the cellular p53/p21(WAF1) response to ionising radiation was unaffected by rapamycin; and the ability of growth factor to protect against p53-mediated apoptosis in response to DNA damage was also unaffected by rapamycin. The ATM gene is mutated in the cancer susceptibility syndrome ataxia telangiectasia (AT) but such mutant cells showed a similar sensitivity to rapamycin compared to their normal counterparts. RKO cell lines of common genetic background, but with different levels of functional p53 protein, also responded similarly to rapamycin. Thus, although rapamycin and p53 are each able to induce G1 arrest, they appear to act through independent growth regulatory pathways.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Induced N- and C-terminal cleavage of p53: a core fragment of p53, generated by interaction with damaged DNA, promotes cleavage of the N-terminus of full-length p53, whereas ssDNA induces C-terminal cleavage of p53.

p53 is able to recognize and bind sites of DNA damage and, in some way, damage to cellular DNA activates a p53 response leading to G1 arrest or apoptosis. We have previously shown that 'damaged DNA' induces N-terminal cleavage of p53 to generate p40(DeltaN) and p35 (core) protein products. We now show that the p35 product has protease activity and is able to cleave between residues 23 and 24 of full-length p53 to generate a novel product, p50(DeltaN23). This activity was inhibited by bestatin, an aminopeptidase inhibitor. Residues 23 and 24 lie within the mdm-2 binding domain of p53 and the possibility that p50(DeltaN23) may be resistant to feedback regulation by mdm-2 is discussed. Unexpectedly, interaction with ssDNA induced two further cleavage products of p53, generated by C-terminal cleavage and designated p50(DeltaC) and p40(DeltaC). In vivo generation of a C-terminal cleavage product of endogenous p53 similar in size to p50(DeltaC) correlated with up-regulation of p21 expression in ML-1 cells exposed to either adriamycin or cisplatin. The possible significance of the various p53 cleavage products in relation to the cellular response to DNA damage is discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Specific p53-DNA complexes contain an mdm2-related protein.

The mdm2 gene encodes a family of proteins, a subset of which bind p53 and negatively regulate its function as a transcription factor. We now show that an anti-mdm-2 monoclonal antibody, 2A10, recognises a protein present in rabbit reticulocyte lysate which binds murine p53 translated in vitro. Deletion of p53 residues 10-35, which encompass the mdm-2 binding site, abolished binding of this 2A10-reactive protein. Binding was also dependent upon p53 protein conformation and may require nascent p53 polypeptide since binding was lost following conformational shifting of the temperature-sensitive mutant A135V. Previous studies have shown that mdm-2-p53 complexes fail to exhibit detectable sequence-specific DNA binding. However, our present results demonstrate that p53 in complex with an mdm-2-related protein in vitro retained sequence-specific DNA binding capacity. Non-transformed (but not transformed) 3T3 cells were also found to express a similar 2A10-reactive protein, detectable by gel shift analysis of cellular p53 in complex with a specific DNA target. Mdm-2 in rabbit reticulocyte lysate and in normal, non-transformed 3T3 cells may represent constitutively expressed protein. Our results raise the possibility that constitutive mdm-2 may enhance and/or suppress functions of p53 as yet unidentified.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1997

Proteolysis by calpains: a possible contribution to degradation of p53.

p53 is a short-lived transcription factor that is frequently mutated in tumor cells. Work by several laboratories has already shown that the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway can largely account for p53 destruction, at least under specific experimental conditions. We report here that, in vitro, wild-type p53 is a sensitive substrate for milli- and microcalpain, which are abundant and ubiquitous cytoplasmic proteases. Degradation was dependent on p53 protein conformation. Mutants of p53 with altered tertiary structure displayed a wide range of susceptibility to calpains, some of them being largely resistant to degradation and others being more sensitive. This result suggests that the different mutants tested here adopt slightly different conformations to which calpains are sensitive but that cannot be discriminated by using monoclonal antibodies such as PAb1620 and PAb240. Inhibition of calpains by using the physiological inhibitor calpastatin leads to an elevation of p53 steady-state levels in cells expressing wild-type p53. Conversely, activation of calpains by calcium ionophore led to a reduction of p53 in mammalian cells, and the effect was blocked by cell-permeant calpain inhibitors. Cotransfection of p53-null cell lines with p53 and calpastatin expression vectors resulted in an increase in p53-dependent transcription activity. Taken together, these data support the idea that calpains may also contribute to the regulation of wild-type p53 protein levels in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Proteolytic cleavage of p53: a model for the activation of p53 in response to DNA damage.

p53 is a multifunctional protein that reacts to DNA damage within the cell and regulates the cell growth arrest and/ or apoptotic pathways. However, the mechanism of p53 activation in response to DNA damage is unknown. Recently we have shown that interaction of p53 with sites of DNA damage induces selective proteolytic cleavage of p53, resulting in fragments of 40 and 35 kDa molecular weight. We have also shown that interaction of p53 with single-stranded (ss)DNAs results in a different pattern of selective proteolysis. This interaction gives a novel of 50-kDa protein generated by C-terminal cleavage of the full length protein and released from the p53-ssDNA complexes. Here we discuss a model where p53 responds to the DNA damage by generating different sets of the proteolytic fragments according to the type of the damage.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Structures and functions of the tumor suppressor p53.

The tumour suppressor p53 plays a crucial role in the cellular response to DNA damage. The p53 protein is able both to detect sites of DNA damage and to interact with DNA in a sequence-specific manner and function in the regulation of target gene expression. These two properties map to discrete functional domains of the protein, the C-terminus and the central core domain respectively. They are essential for integration of a normal cellular response to DNA damage, with initiation of either G1 cell cycle arrest or apoptosis. This review considers the domain structure of p53 in relation to the protein's various functions, together with the importance of tertiary structure and conformational flexibility. The precise regulation of p53 function remains to be established, although the protein is known to be phosphorylated/de-phosphorylated by a number of specific protein kinases/phosphatases. A recent discovery indicates that p53 may be activated by autoproteolysis and that proteolytic cleavage is induced by direct interaction with sites of DNA damage. This process is reminiscent of the bacterial Lex A system and would provide one mechanism for activation of p53 in response to cellular DNA damage.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1996

Interaction with damaged DNA induces selective proteolytic cleavage of p53 to yield 40 kDa and 35 kDa fragments competent for sequence-specific DNA binding.

The p53 protein binds sites of primary DNA damage via its C-terminus. This interaction in some way activates sequence-specific binding (via the central core domain) and transactivation of p53 target genes. We now show that interaction with non-specific DNA, but not specific DNA targets, induces selective proteolysis of p53 to give a 40 kDa fragment, comprising the core plus C-terminus, and a 35 kDa conformationally intact core domain. Proteolytic cleavage was limited and yielded roughly equivalent proportions of full length p53 and the 40 kDa and 35 kDa fragments. Significantly, both 40 kDa and 35 kDa products were activated for sequence-specific DNA binding. Similar p53-related products were induced by exposure of cells to DNA damage. We propose that some functions of p53 can be activated by proteolytic processing and that this may be important in the cellular response to DNA damage.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1996

Needs of disabled children and their families.

In the new NHS those who provide services for disabled children need to measure and demonstrate their effectiveness, but there are no easily available outcome measures for use by child development centres and teams. The development of an alternative approach, using a series of statements of good practice, is described. Parents of children with cerebral palsy were asked to participate in semistructured interviews, to ascertain the value and relevance of these quality statements. Parents were most concerned about the standard of news breaking and early follow up, the sharing of information, and the supply and repair of equipment. The findings were used to modify the quality checklist and it is proposed that this should form the basis of a "charter for disabled children and their families'.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1995

Specific DNA binding by different classes of human p53 mutants.

The p53 protein is a multifunctional transcription factor which orchestrates cellular responses to DNA damage, so helping to conserve genomic stability. It may also regulate genes involved in intercellular signalling, such as thrombospondin, a negative regulator of angiogenesis and metastatic spread. Activation of p53 target genes requires sequence-specific DNA binding, a function which maps to the central core of the protein. Missense point mutations within this domain inactivate p53 tumour suppressor function and involve either (i) DNA contact residues, or (ii) residues important for conformational structure. Using in vitro techniques we have analysed seven DNA contact mutants and 17 structural mutants known to occur in cancer. We show that DNA contact mutants can be carried into specific DNA interaction when co-expressed with wild type protein. For structural mutants, 9/17 retained DNA binding capacity and, with one exception, DNA binding correlated with conformational flexibility of the mutant protein. The exception was Asp281, which appeared essential for DNA interaction, probably due to its ability to form salt bridges with DNA contact residues Arg273 and Arg280. We suggest that different classes of p53 mutant may prove amenable to different strategies for restoration of wild type tumour suppressor function as means of anti-cancer therapy.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

p53 in complex with DNA is resistant to ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis in the presence of HPV-16 E6.

The tumour suppressor p53 is a transcription factor with high affinity for specific DNA target sequences. Wild type p53 has a very short half life in normal cells but the protein shows transient accumulation in response to DNA damage, accompanied by up-regulation of target genes such as p21 and induction of growth arrest in G1 of the cell cycle. The rapid turnover of p53 may involve the ubiquitin-dependent proteolytic pathway. In order to investigate p53 turnover we have employed an in vitro system with rabbit reticulocyte lysate, in which ubiquitin-dependent degradation of p53 is mediated by the oncoprotein E6 of human papilloma virus type 16 (HPV-16). Using this system we have previously shown that E6-mediated degradation is preferential for p53 in the 1620+ conformation (reactive with the monoclonal antibody PAb1620). p53-1620+ is a pre-requisite for specific DNA binding and we have now asked if p53 in complex with DNA remains susceptible to ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis in the presence of E6. Our results indicate that p53-DNA complexes are resistant to degradation, whereas the 'free' protein is completely degraded within 20 min. Moreover, E6 did not complex with p53-DNA, possibly due to masking of sites recognised either by E6 or by the E6-associated protein (E6-AP) which facilitates E6-p53 interaction. Preincubation with E6 inhibited the DNA binding capacity of p53 and this effect could be explained, at least in part, by ubiquitination of the p53 protein.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Structural and kinetic analysis of p53-DNA complexes and comparison of human and murine p53.

Sequence-specific DNA binding by p53 is dependent upon protein conformation. The 1620+ form correlates with wild type p53 suppressor function and is a prerequisite for binding to the DNA consensus p53-CON in vitro. It has been reported that murine p53 changes conformation on interaction with high affinity DNA target sequences and in the present study we have analysed p53-DNA complexes using conformation-specific monoclonal antibodies against p53. For murine p53 (mp53) we show (i) the 1620+ form is retained and stabilised in complex with DNA, and (ii) the complexes are dissociated by the PAb1620 monoclonal antibody. In contrast, PAb1620 did not detect nor dissociate human p53-DNA complexes nor did it interfere with complex formation. In competition experiments murine p53 replaced human p53 (hp53) in p53-DNA complexes and this correlated with the greater lability observed for hp53-DNA complexes at a given temperature. Mixed human-murine p53 oligomers were competent for DNA binding with an estimated affinity around 5 x 10(-10) M, similar to that observed for either human or murine p53 alone. The potential significance of these observations is discussed in relation p53 function in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Modulation by copper of p53 conformation and sequence-specific DNA binding: role for Cu(II)/Cu(I) redox mechanism.

The tumor suppressor protein p53 is a metal-binding transcription factor whose conformation and function are altered by mutation in cancers. Using murine p53 translated in vitro, we report here that concentrations of copper within the physiological range (< 30 microM) alter the conformation of wild-type p53 and inhibit sequence-specific DNA-binding. Direct binding of copper to p53 in the form of Cu(I) was demonstrated by Electron Spin Resonance using a purified recombinant protein containing residues 1-343 of murine wild-type p53 fused to E. coli maltose binding protein. Moreover, protection against the effect of Cu(II) sulfate was achieved by the Cu(I)-specific chelator bathocuproinedisulfonic acid but not by scavengers of reactive oxygen species, suggesting that alteration of p53 by copper depends upon a Cu(II)/Cu(I) redox mechanism, but does not require the production of reactive oxygen species. Thus copper at physiological concentrations can interact with wild-type p53 and affect its DNA-binding capacity.

Animals↗