RESUMO
The tumor suppressor P53 is a critical mediator of the apoptotic response to DNA double-strand breaks through the transcriptional activation of pro-apoptotic genes. This mechanism is evolutionarily conserved from mammals to lower invertebrates, including Drosophila melanogaster. P53 also transcriptionally induces its primary negative regulator, Mdm2, which has not been found in Drosophila. In this study we identified the Drosophila gene companion of reaper (corp) as a gene whose overexpression promotes survival of cells with DNA damage in the soma but reduces their survival in the germline. These disparate effects are shared by p53 mutants, suggesting that Corp may be a negative regulator of P53. Confirming this supposition, we found that corp negatively regulates P53 protein level. It has been previously shown that P53 transcriptionally activates corp; thus, Corp produces a negative feedback loop on P53. We further found that Drosophila Corp shares a protein motif with vertebrate Mdm2 in a region that mediates the Mdm2:P53 physical interaction. In Corp, this motif mediates physical interaction with Drosophila P53. Our findings implicate Corp as a functional analog of vertebrate Mdm2 in flies.
Assuntos
Quebras de DNA de Cadeia Dupla , Proteínas de Drosophila/genética , Proteínas de Drosophila/metabolismo , Drosophila melanogaster/genética , Retroalimentação Fisiológica/fisiologia , Proteína Supressora de Tumor p53/metabolismo , Animais , Apoptose/genética , Linhagem Celular , Proteínas de Drosophila/biossíntese , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-mdm2/genética , Interferência de RNA , RNA Interferente Pequeno , Ativação Transcricional/genética , Proteína Supressora de Tumor p53/genéticaRESUMO
Refractoriness of solid tumors, including colorectal cancers (CRCs), to immunotherapies is attributed to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment that protects malignant cells from cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). We found that downregulation of the type I interferon receptor chain IFNAR1 occurs in human CRC and mouse models of CRC. Downregulation of IFNAR1 in tumor stroma stimulated CRC development and growth, played a key role in formation of the immune-privileged niche, and predicted poor prognosis in human CRC patients. Genetic stabilization of IFNAR1 improved CTL survival and increased the efficacy of the chimeric antigen receptor T cell transfer and PD-1 inhibition. Likewise, pharmacologic stabilization of IFNAR1 suppressed tumor growth providing the rationale for upregulating IFNAR1 to improve anti-cancer therapies.