1. Molecular mechanism of the interaction between MDM2 and p53
Oliver Schon, Assaf Friedler, Mark Bycroft, Stefan M V Freund, Alan R Fersht J Mol Biol. 2002 Oct 25;323(3):491-501. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(02)00852-5.
We have investigated the kinetic and thermodynamic basis of the p53-MDM2 interaction using a set of peptides based on residues 15-29 of p53. Wild-type p53 peptide bound MDM2 with a dissociation constant of 580nM. Phosphorylation of S15 and S20 did not affect binding, but T18 phosphorylation weakened binding tenfold, indicating that phosphorylation of only T18 is responsible for abrogating p53-MDM2 binding. Truncation to residues 17-26 increased affinity 13-fold, but further truncation to 19-26 abolished binding. NMR studies of the binding of the p53-derived peptides revealed global conformational changes of the overall structure of MDM2, stretching far beyond the binding cleft, indicating significant changes in the domain dynamics of MDM2 upon ligand binding.
2. Autophagy in acute kidney injury
Man J Livingston, Zheng Dong Semin Nephrol. 2014 Jan;34(1):17-26. doi: 10.1016/j.semnephrol.2013.11.004. Epub 2013 Nov 21.
Acute kidney injury is a major kidney disease associated with poor clinical outcomes. The pathogenesis of acute kidney injury is multifactorial and is characterized by tubular cell injury and death. Recent studies have shown autophagy induction in proximal tubular cells during acute kidney injury. The regulatory mechanisms of tubular cell autophagy are poorly understood; however, some recent findings have set up a foundation for further investigation. Although autophagy may promote cell death under certain experimental conditions, pharmacologic and autophagy-related gene knockout studies have established a renoprotective role for autophagy in acute kidney injury. The mechanisms by which autophagy protects cells from injury and how, possibly, its pro-survival role switches to pro-death under certain conditions are discussed. Further research is expected to help us understand the regulatory network of tubular cell autophagy, define its precise roles in the specific context of acute kidney injury, and identify autophagy-targeting strategies for the prevention and treatment of acute kidney injury.
3. p53 Gene mutation and genetic instability in superficial multifocal esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Takehiro Fujiki, Seiji Haraoka, Shingo Yoshioka, Koichi Ohshima, Akinori Iwashita, Masahiro Kikuchi Int J Oncol. 2002 Apr;20(4):669-79.
Tumor multicentricity is occasionally observed in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We studied five surgically resected superficial multifocal esophageal SCCs for p53 gene mutation and genetic instability, using DNA extracted from microdissected areas. A total of 38 target areas (TAs) were analyzed in SCC, dysplasia, basal cell hyperplasia (BCH) and normal squamous epithelium. Analysis of the replication error (RER) at 10 microsatellite loci showed microsatellite instability in all TAs, as well as in normal squamous epithelium. p53 gene mutation was identified in 28.9% (11/38 TAs). All cases showed a common missense mutation in exon 8 at codon 273 (CGT-->CAT, Arg-->His), which was DNA contact mutation in the S10 beta strand. In association with microsatellite alterations, 7 of 9 TAs with p53 mutation in exon 8 at codon 273 also showed loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of p53 gene. LOH of p53 gene was detected in 83.8% (31/37 TAs). LOH at D2S123 on 2p16 near MSH2 gene and at D3S1611 on 3p22 near MLH1 gene was detected in 65.4% (17/26) and 71.4% (10/14) TAs, respectively. Frequencies of LOH at p53 and D2S123 were similar in non-cancerous areas and SCCs. LOH of p53 and D2S123 were found in 50% (5/10 TAs) of non-cancerous areas and 60% (9/15 TAs) of SCCs. Our results suggest that genetic instability induces esophageal tumor multicentricity, and that p53 gene contact mutation together with LOH are early events of the multistage carcinogenesis of multifocal primary esophageal SCC.
