Phospholipase D elevates the level of MDM2 and suppresses DNA damage-induced increases in p53.

Phospholipase D (PLD) has been reported to generate survival signals that prevent apoptosis induced by serum withdrawal. We have now found that elevated expression of PLD also suppresses DNA damage-induced apoptosis. Since DNA damage-induced apoptosis is often mediated by p53, we examined the effect of elevated PLD expression on the regulation of p53 stabilization. We report here that PLD suppresses DNA damage-induced increases in p53 stabilization in cells where PLD has been shown to provide a survival signal. Elevated expression of PLD also led to increased expression of the p53 E3 ubiquitin ligase MDM2 and increased turnover of p53. PLD1-stimulated increases in MDM2 expression and suppression of p53 activation were blocked by inhibition of mTOR and the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. Although PLD did not activate the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt survival pathway activate the basal levels of PI3K activity were partially required for PLD1-induced increases in MDM2. These data provide evidence that survival signals generated by PLD involve suppression of the p53 response pathway.

Nuclear and cytoplasmic degradation of endogenous p53 and HDM2 occurs during down-regulation of the p53 response after multiple types of DNA damage.

The principal regulator of p53 stability is HDM2, an E3 ligase mediating p53 degradation via the ubiquitin-26S proteasome pathway. Until recently, the accepted model held that p53 degradation occurs exclusively on cytoplasmic proteasomes, with an absolute requirement for nuclear export of p53 via the CRM1 pathway. However, 26S proteasomes are abundant in cytosol and nucleus. Using forced overexpression of HDM2 in mutant p53 tumor cells, we previously found that p53 degradation occurs in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm. p53 null cells coexpressing export-defective p53 and HDM2 retained partial competence for p53 degradation, challenging the obligatory export model. Because the ability of local nuclear destruction might add important control in switching off the p53 pathway, we now test this notion for physiological situations in untransfected cells and determine the significance of this regulation. Despite nuclear export blockade by leptomycin B and HTLV1-Rex protein, two potent CRM1 inhibitors, nuclear degradation of endogenous wild-type p53 and HDM2 occurs during down-regulation of the p53 response. This was seen in RKO and U2OS cells recovering from all major forms of DNA damage, including UV, gamma-IR, camptothecin, or cisplatinum. Moreover, significant nuclear degradation of endogenous p53 and HDM2 occurs in isolated nuclear fractions prepared from these recovering cells. Furthermore, nuclear proteasomes efficiently degrade ubiquitinated p53 in vitro. Our data indicate that in nonlethal outcomes of cellular stress, when DNA damage has been successfully repaired and the active p53 response needs to be down-regulated quickly to resume normal homeostasis, both nuclear and cytoplasmic proteasomes are recruited to efficiently degrade the elevated p53 and HDM2 protein levels. The physiological significance of local nuclear destruction lies in the fact that it adds tighter control and speed to switching the p53 pathway off.

Analysis of nuclear and cytoplasmic degradation of p53 in cells after stress.

Until recently, the accepted model held that p53 degradation occurs exclusively on cytoplasmic proteasomes and, hence, has an absolute requirement for nuclear export of p53 via the CRM1 pathway. However, proteasomes are abundant in both cytosol and nucleus. We recently analyzed HDM2-mediated degradation of endogenous p53 in the presence of various CRM1 blockers. We found that significant HDM2-mediated degradation takes place despite nuclear export blockade, indicating that endogenous p53 degradation occurs locally in the nucleus, in parallel to cytoplasmic degradation. Here, we describe how subcellular fractionation can be used to monitor nuclear and cytoplasmic degradation of endogenous wild-type p53 during the recovery phase after a stress stimulus. The fractions are then analyzed by immunoblotting in a time-dependent fashion. Vimentin and lamin A proteins are used to monitor the purity of the cytosolic and nuclear fractions, respectively, and to control for equal loading.

Phospholipase D prevents apoptosis in v-Src-transformed rat fibroblasts and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells.

Phospholipase D (PLD) activity is elevated in response to mitogenic and oncogenic signals. PLD also cooperates with overexpressed tyrosine kinases to transform rat fibroblasts. 3Y1 rat fibroblasts overexpressing the tyrosine kinase c-Src undergo apoptosis in response to serum withdrawal. We report here that elevated expression of either PLD1 or PLD2 in these cells prevents apoptosis induced by serum withdrawal. 3Y1 cells transformed by the activated tyrosine kinase v-Src have elevated PLD activity and are resistant to apoptosis induced by serum withdrawal. However, if PLD activity is blocked, the v-Src-transformed cells underwent apoptosis. MDA-MB-231 cells are a human breast cancer cell line with substantially elevated levels of PLD activity. Inhibiting PLD activity in these cells similarly rendered them sensitive to the apoptotic insult of serum withdrawal. These data indicate that elevated PLD activity generates a survival signal(s) allowing cells to overcome default apoptosis programs.

Elevated phospholipase D activity induces apoptosis in normal rat fibroblasts.

Elevated expression of phospholipase D (PLD) in rat fibroblasts overexpressing a tyrosine kinase leads to cell transformation. However, it has been difficult to get elevated expression of PLD in normal rat fibroblasts. Using transient transfection and an inducible expression system, we were able to get elevated expression of PLD1 and PLD2 in 3Y1 rat fibroblasts. Elevated expression of either PLD1 or PLD2 in 3Y1 cells led to apoptosis in the absence of serum. Elevated PLD expression resulted in reduced cell viability and the cleavage of the caspase 3 substrates poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) and protein kinase C delta. Elevated PLD expression also stimulated cytochrome c release, indicating that the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway was activated. Thus, while elevated PLD expression can transform cells with elevated tyrosine kinase expression, elevated expression of PLD activity in normal cells renders cells sensitive to apoptotic insult.

DeltaNp73, a dominant-negative inhibitor of wild-type p53 and TAp73, is up-regulated in human tumors.

p73 has significant homology to p53. However, tumor-associated up-regulation of p73 and genetic data from human tumors and p73-deficient mice exclude a classical Knudson-type tumor suppressor role. We report that the human TP73 gene generates an NH(2) terminally truncated isoform. DeltaNp73 derives from an alternative promoter in intron 3 and lacks the transactivation domain of full-length TAp73. DeltaNp73 is frequently overexpressed in a variety of human cancers, but not in normal tissues. DeltaNp73 acts as a potent transdominant inhibitor of wild-type p53 and transactivation-competent TAp73. DeltaNp73 efficiently counteracts transactivation function, apoptosis, and growth suppression mediated by wild-type p53 and TAp73, and confers drug resistance to wild-type p53 harboring tumor cells. Conversely, down-regulation of endogenous DeltaNp73 levels by antisense methods alleviates its suppressive action and enhances p53- and TAp73-mediated apoptosis. DeltaNp73 is complexed with wild-type p53, as demonstrated by coimmunoprecipitation from cultured cells and primary tumors. Thus, DeltaNp73 mediates a novel inactivation mechanism of p53 and TAp73 via a dominant-negative family network. Deregulated expression of DeltaNp73 can bestow oncogenic activity upon the TP73 gene by functionally inactivating the suppressor action of p53 and TAp73. This trait might be selected for in human cancers.

Phospholipase D overcomes cell cycle arrest induced by high-intensity Raf signaling.

Low level expression of an active Raf kinase results in a transformed phenotype; however, high intensity Raf signals block cell cycle progression. Phospholipase D (PLD) has been implicated in regulating cell cycle progression and PLD activity is elevated in Raf transformed cells. We report here that high intensity Raf signals reduce PLD activity and that elevated expression of either PLD1 or PLD2 prevents cell cycle arrest induced by high intensity Raf signals. Overexpression of either PLD1 or PLD2 also reversed increases in p21(Cip1) and protein kinase C delta (PKC delta) cleavage seen with high intensity Raf signals. These data indicate that PLD signaling provides a novel survival signal that overcomes cell cycle arrest induced by high intensity Raf signaling.