The tumour suppressor p53 is a transcription factor that regulates multiple biological functions including metabolism, DNA repair, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and senescence. About half of human cancers show a normal...The tumour suppressor p53 is a transcription factor that regulates multiple biological functions including metabolism, DNA repair, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and senescence. About half of human cancers show a normal TP53 gene and aberrant overexpression of Mdm2. This fact promotes a promising cancer therapeutic strategy by inhibiting the interactions between p53 and Mdm2. Various inhibitors have been designed to achieve this novel approach for cancer therapy. However, the detailed competition mechanism between these inhibitors and the p53 molecule in their binding process to Mdm2 is still unclear. We investigate this competition mechanism between Nutlin3 and p53 using molecular dynamics simulations. It is found that Nutlin3 binds faster than the p53 molecule to Mdm2 to prevent p53 binding to Mdm2 when Nutlin3 and p53 have equal distance from Mdm2. Nutlin3 can also bind to the p53-Mdm2 complex to disturb and weaken the interactions between p53 and Mdm2. Consequently, p53 cannot bind to Mdm2 and its tumour suppression function is reactivated. These results provide the detailed competition mechanism between Nutlin3 and p53 in their binding to Mdm2. Because the binding site of most other inhibitors to Mdm2 is the same as Nutlin3, therefore this competition mechanism can extend to most inhibitors which target the p53-Mdm2 interaction.展开更多
Nutlin-3a is a MDM2 antagonist and preclinical drug that activates p53. Cells with MDM2 gene amplification are especially prone to Nutlin-3a-induced apoptosis, though the basis for this is unclear. Glucose metabolism ...Nutlin-3a is a MDM2 antagonist and preclinical drug that activates p53. Cells with MDM2 gene amplification are especially prone to Nutlin-3a-induced apoptosis, though the basis for this is unclear. Glucose metabolism can inhibit apoptosis in response to Nutlin-3a through mechanisms that are incompletely understood. Glucose metabolism through the pentose phosphate pathway （PPP） produces NADPH that can protect cells from potentially lethal reactive oxygen species （ROS）. We compared apoptosis and glucose metabolism in cancer cells with and without MDM2 gene amplification treated with Nutlin-3a. Apoptosis in MDM2-amplified cells was associated with a reduction in glycolysis and the PPP, reduced NADPH, increased ROS, and depletion of the transcription factor SP1, which normally promotes PPP gene expression. In contrast, glycolysis and the PPP were maintained or increased in MDM2 non-amplified cells treated with Nutlin-3a. This was dependent on p53-mediated AKT activation and was associated with maintenance of SP1 and continued expression of PPP genes. Knockdown or inhibition of AKT, SP1, or the PPP sensitized MDM2-non-amplified cells to apoptosis. The data indicate that p53 promotes AKT and SP1-dependent activation of the PPP that protects cells from Nutlin-3a-induced apoptosis. These findings provide insight into how glucose metabolism reduces Nutlin-3a-induced apoptosis, and also provide a mechanism for the heightened sensitivity of MDM2-amplified cells to apoptosis in response to Nutlin-3a.展开更多
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No 11675018the Beijing Natural Science Foundation under Grant No 1172008the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities under Grant No 2015KJJCB01
文摘The tumour suppressor p53 is a transcription factor that regulates multiple biological functions including metabolism, DNA repair, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and senescence. About half of human cancers show a normal TP53 gene and aberrant overexpression of Mdm2. This fact promotes a promising cancer therapeutic strategy by inhibiting the interactions between p53 and Mdm2. Various inhibitors have been designed to achieve this novel approach for cancer therapy. However, the detailed competition mechanism between these inhibitors and the p53 molecule in their binding process to Mdm2 is still unclear. We investigate this competition mechanism between Nutlin3 and p53 using molecular dynamics simulations. It is found that Nutlin3 binds faster than the p53 molecule to Mdm2 to prevent p53 binding to Mdm2 when Nutlin3 and p53 have equal distance from Mdm2. Nutlin3 can also bind to the p53-Mdm2 complex to disturb and weaken the interactions between p53 and Mdm2. Consequently, p53 cannot bind to Mdm2 and its tumour suppression function is reactivated. These results provide the detailed competition mechanism between Nutlin3 and p53 in their binding to Mdm2. Because the binding site of most other inhibitors to Mdm2 is the same as Nutlin3, therefore this competition mechanism can extend to most inhibitors which target the p53-Mdm2 interaction.
文摘Nutlin-3a is a MDM2 antagonist and preclinical drug that activates p53. Cells with MDM2 gene amplification are especially prone to Nutlin-3a-induced apoptosis, though the basis for this is unclear. Glucose metabolism can inhibit apoptosis in response to Nutlin-3a through mechanisms that are incompletely understood. Glucose metabolism through the pentose phosphate pathway （PPP） produces NADPH that can protect cells from potentially lethal reactive oxygen species （ROS）. We compared apoptosis and glucose metabolism in cancer cells with and without MDM2 gene amplification treated with Nutlin-3a. Apoptosis in MDM2-amplified cells was associated with a reduction in glycolysis and the PPP, reduced NADPH, increased ROS, and depletion of the transcription factor SP1, which normally promotes PPP gene expression. In contrast, glycolysis and the PPP were maintained or increased in MDM2 non-amplified cells treated with Nutlin-3a. This was dependent on p53-mediated AKT activation and was associated with maintenance of SP1 and continued expression of PPP genes. Knockdown or inhibition of AKT, SP1, or the PPP sensitized MDM2-non-amplified cells to apoptosis. The data indicate that p53 promotes AKT and SP1-dependent activation of the PPP that protects cells from Nutlin-3a-induced apoptosis. These findings provide insight into how glucose metabolism reduces Nutlin-3a-induced apoptosis, and also provide a mechanism for the heightened sensitivity of MDM2-amplified cells to apoptosis in response to Nutlin-3a.
