• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.3759-3765
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• 2015

Background: Approaches in disruption of MDM2-p53 interactions have now emerged as an important therapeutic strategy in resurrecting wild type p53 functional status. The present study highlights virtual screening strategies in identification of high affinity small molecule non-peptidic inhibitors. Nutlin3A and RG7112 belonging to compound class of Cis-imidazoline, MI219 of Spiro-oxindole class and Benzodiazepine derived TDP 665759 served as query small molecules for similarity search with a threshold of 95%. The query molecules and the similar molecules corresponding to each query were docked at the transactivation binding cleft of MDM2 protein. Aided by MolDock algorithm, high affinity compound against MDM2 was retrieved. Patch Dock supervised Protein-Protein interactions were established between MDM2 and ligand (query and similar) bound and free states of p53. Compounds with PubCid 68870345, 77819398, 71132874, and 11952782 respectively structurally similar to Nutlin3A, RG7112, Mi219 and TDP 665759 demonstrated higher affinity to MDM2 in comparison to their parent compounds. Evident from the protein-protein interaction studies, all the similar compounds except for 77819398 (similar to RG 7112) showed appreciable inhibitory potential. Of particular relevance, compound 68870345 akin to Nutlin 3A had highest inhibitory potential that respectively showed 1.3, 1.2, 1.16 and 1.26 folds higher inhibitory potential than Nutilin 3A, MI 219, RG 7112 and TDP 1665759. Compound 68870345 was further mapped for structure based pharamacophoric features. In the study, we report Cis-imidazoline derivative compound; Pubcid: 68870345 to have highest inhibitory potential in blocking MDM2-p53 interactions hitherto discovered.

• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.10
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• pp.485-486
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• 2017

Many intrinsically unstructured/unfolded proteins (IUPs) contain transient local secondary structures even though they are "unstructured" in a tertiary sense. These local secondary structures are named "pre-structured motifs (PreSMos)" and in fact are the specificity determinants for IUP-target binding, i.e., the active sites in IUPs. Using high-resolution NMR we have delineated a PreSMo active site in the intrinsically unfolded mid-domain (residues 201-300) of SUMO-specific protease 4 (SUSP4). This 29-residue motif which we termed a p53 rescue motif can protect p53 from mdm2 quenching by binding to the p53-helix binding pocket in mdm2(3-109). Our work demonstrates that the PreSMo approach is quite effective in providing a structural rationale for interactions of p53-mdm2-SUSP4 and opens a novel avenue for designing mdm2-inhibiting anticancer compounds.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.488-495
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• 2018

The p53 gene plays a critical role in the transcriptional regulation of cellular response to stress, DNA damage, hypoxia, and tumor development. Keeping in mind the recently discovered manifold physiological functions of p53, its involvement in the regulation of cancer is not surprising. In about 50% of all human cancers, inactivation of p53's protein function occurs either through mutations in the gene itself or defects in the mechanisms that activate it. This disorder plays a crucial role in tumor evolution by allowing the evasion of a p53-dependent response. Many recent studies have focused on directly targeting p53 mutants by identifying selective, small molecular compounds to deplete them or to restore their tumor-suppressive function. These small molecules should effectively regulate various interactions while maintaining good drug-like properties. Among them, the discovery of the key p53-negative regulator, MDM2, has led to the design of new small molecule inhibitors that block the interaction between p53 and MDM2. Some of these small molecule compounds have now moved from proof-of-concept studies into clinical trials, with prospects for further, more personalized anti-carcinogenic medicines. Here, we review the structural and functional consequences of wild type and mutant p53 as well as the development of therapeutic agents that directly target this gene, and compounds that inhibit the interaction between it and MDM2.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.14
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• pp.5767-5772
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• 2015

Background: Polymorphisms in the MDM2 309 (T>G) and TP53 72 (G>C) genes are reported to increase the susceptibility to head and neck cancer (HNC) in various populations. The risk for HNC is also strongly associated with etiologic habits such as smoking, alcohol consumption and/or chewing of betel quid (BQ). In a case-control study, we investigated the significance of the above polymorphisms alone, and upon interaction with one another as well as with various etiologic habits in determining HNC risk in a Northeast Indian population. Materials and Methods: Genotyping at 309 MDM2 and 72 TP53 in 122 HNC patients and 86 cancer free healthy controls was performed by PCR using allele specific primers, and the results were confirmed by DNA sequencing. Results: Individuals with the GG mutant allele of MDM2 showed a higher risk for HNC in comparison to those with the TT wild type allele (OR=1.9, 95%CI: 1.1-3.3) (p=0.022). The risk was further increased in females by ~4-fold (OR=4.6, 95% CI: 1.1-19.4) (P=0.04). TP53 polymorphism did not contribute to HNC risk alone; however, interaction between the TP53 GC and MDM2 GG genotypes resulted in significant risk (OR=4.9, 95% CI: 0.2-105.1) (p=0.04). Smokers, BQ- chewers and alcohol consumers showed statistically significant and dose-dependent increase in HNC risk, irrespective of the MDM2 genotype. Conclusions: MDM2 genotype could serve as an important predictive biomarker for HNC risk in the population of Northeast India.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.373-384
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• 2001

Cellular proliferation is an intricately regulated process mediated by the coordinated interactions of critical growth control genes. Two of these factors in mammalian cells are the p53 and mdm-2 genes. A protein product of the mem-2 oncogene has been recently shown to associate with the protein encoded by the tumor suppressor gene p53. The p53 tumor suppressor protein is stabilized in response to DNA damage and other stress signals and causes the cell to undergo growth arrest or apoptosis, thus preventing the establishment of mutations in future cellular generations. Mutation or loss of p53 is a very common event in tumor progression. It occurs in about 50% of all tumors analysed including of colon, lung, breast and liver. The cellular mdm-2 gene, which has potential transforming activity that can be activated by overexpression, is amplified in a significant percentage of human sarcoma and in other mammalian tumors. Proteins encoded by the mdm-2 gene are able to bind to the p53 protein and, when overexpressed, can inhibit p53's transcriptional activation function, thus mdm-2 can act as a negative regulator of p53 function. Experimental study was performed to observe the relationship between p53 gene mutation and mdm-2 protein expression and apply the results to the clinical activity. 36 golden syrian hamster each weighing $60{\sim}80g$ were used and painted with 0.5% DMBA by 3 times weekly on the right buccal cheek(experimental side) for 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 weeks. Left buccal cheek(control side) was treated with mineral oil as the same manner to the right side. The hamsters were sacrificed on the 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 & 16 weeks. Normal and tumor tissues from paraffin block were examined for histology and immunohistochemistry observation, and were completely dissected by microdissection and DNA from both tissue were isolated by proteins K/phenol/chloroform extraction. Segments of the hamster p53 exons 5, 6, 7 and 8 were amplified by PCR using the oligonucleotide primers, and then confirmational change was observed by SSCP respectively. The results were as follows : 1. Dysplasia at 6 weeks, carcinoma in situ at 8 weeks and invasive carcinoma from 10 weeks could be observed in experimental groups. 2. p53 mutations were detected in 10 of the 36(28%) and the exons 6(6 of the 10 : 60%) was the most hot spot area among the highy conserved region(exons 5, 6, 7 & 8). 3. Immunohistochemical study confirmed 22 of the 36(61%) of p53 expression involving 10 of p53 mutations. 4. mdm-2 expression of was showed in 3 of the 36(8%) involving 1 of the 22 of p53 expression and 2 of the 14 of p53 non-expression. From the above results, mutation of p53 gene or expression of p53 protein may have the influence of the DMBA induced carcinoma of hamster buccal pouch but the expression of mdm-2 protein may not have relationship with tumorigenesis.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.42 no.11
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• pp.773-782
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• 2019

Cellular senescence is an irreversible form of cell cycle arrest. Senescent cells have a unique gene expression profile that is frequently accompanied by senescence-associated heterochromatic foci (SAHFs). Protein kinase CK2 (CK2) downregulation can induce trimethylation of histone H3 Lys 9 (H3K9me3) and SAHFs formation by activating SUV39h1. Here, we present evidence that the PI3K-AKT-mTOR-reactive oxygen species-p53 pathway is necessary for CK2 downregulation-mediated H3K9me3 and SAHFs formation. CK2 downregulation promotes SUV39h1 stability by inhibiting its proteasomal degradation in a p53-dependent manner. Moreover, the dephosphorylation status of Ser 392 on p53, a possible CK2 target site, enhances the nuclear import and subsequent stabilization of SUV39h1 by inhibiting the interactions between p53, MDM2, and SUV39h1. Furthermore, $p21^{Cip1/WAF1}$ is required for CK2 downregulation-mediated H3K9me3, and dephosphorylation of Ser 392 on p53 is important for efficient transcription of $p21^{Cip1/WAF}$. Taken together, these results suggest that CK2 downregulation induces dephosphorylation of Ser 392 on p53, which subsequently increases the stability of SUV39h1 and the expression of $p21^{Cip1/WAF1}$, leading to H3K9me3 and SAHFs formation.

• BMB Reports
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• v.51 no.10
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• pp.526-531
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• 2018

Protein-Protein Interactions (PPIs) play essential roles in diverse biological processes and their misregulations are associated with a wide range of diseases. Especially, the growing attention to PPIs as a new class of therapeutic target is increasing the need for an efficient method of cell-based PPI analysis. Thus, we newly developed a robust PPI assay (SeePPI) based on the co-translocation of interacting proteins to the discrete subcellular compartment 'processing body' (p-body) inside living cells, enabling a facile analysis of PPI by the enriched fluorescent signal. The feasibility and strength of SeePPI (${\underline{S}}ignal$ ${\underline{e}}nhancement$ ${\underline{e}}xclusively$ on ${\underline{P}}-body$ for ${\underline{P}}rotein-protein$ ${\underline{I}}nteraction$) assay was firmly demonstrated with FKBP12/FRB interaction induced by rapamycin within seconds in real-time analysis of living cells, indicating its recapitulation of physiological PPI dynamics. In addition, we applied p53/MDM2 interaction and its dissociation by Nutlin-3 to SeePPI assay and further confirmed that SeePPI was quantitative and well reflected the endogenous PPI. Our SeePPI assay will provide another useful tool to achieve an efficient analysis of PPIs and their modulators in cells.