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Enhancement of p53 activity and inhibition of neural cell proliferation by glucocorticoid receptor activation
Author(s) -
Crochemore Christophe,
Michaelidis Theologos M.,
Fischer Dieter,
Loeffler JeanPhilippe,
Almeida Osborne F. X.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fj.01-0577com
Subject(s) - glucocorticoid receptor , glucocorticoid , microbiology and biotechnology , apoptosis , cell growth , endogeny , transfection , cell cycle , biology , receptor , chemistry , cell culture , endocrinology , biochemistry , genetics
ABSTRACT In analyzing the molecular mechanisms underlying glucocorticoid‐induced apoptosis in neural cells, we observed that dexamethasone, by activating glucocorticoid receptors, causes arrest of HT‐22 cells in the G 1 phase of the cell cycle; upon withdrawal of the agonist, cells resume proliferation. Our investigations revealed that glucocorticoid treatment, although having no effects on endogenous p53 protein stability, induces rapid translocation of p53 to the nucleus and enhances its transcriptional activity. Consistently, transfection studies with p53‐responsive promoters revealed a substantial stimulation of the trans ‐activation potential of exogenous p53 by dexamethasone. Cells arrested in G 1 failed to show signs of apoptosis even after overexpression of p53. Although dexamethasone induced transcription of the proapoptotic gene bax , there was no increase of Bax protein levels. We conclude that glucocorticoid receptor‐induced neural cell cycle arrest is associated with an increase in nuclear translocation and transcriptional activity of p53, and suggest that potentiation of p53 may serve as a brake on cell proliferation and may prime cells for differentiation or death induced by other signals.—Crochemore, C., Michaelidis, T. M., Fischer, D., Loeffler, J.‐P., Almeida, O. F. X. Enhancement of p53 activity and inhibition of neural cell proliferation by glucocorticoid receptor activation. FASEB J. 16, 761–770 (2002)