CELL CYCLE
CELL CYCLE
Dr. JUSUF FANTONI, SpPA, MSc.
Dr. JUSUF FANTONI, SpPA, MSc.
PATH
CELL CYCLE
CELL CYCLE
CELL CYCLE = “ PROGRAM “ FOR CELL GROWTH
CELL CYCLE = “ PROGRAM “ FOR CELL GROWTH
AND CELL DIVISION ( PROLIFERATION)
AND CELL DIVISION ( PROLIFERATION)
4 BROAD PHASES OF CELL CYCLE :
4 BROAD PHASES OF CELL CYCLE : G1, S, G2, G1, S, G2, AND AND
M M
G1
Cell Cycle
Cell Cycle
Eric Eric Niederho Niederho ffer fferG0
6-8 h
DNA, RNA,
Protein
3-4 h
RNA, Protein
1 h
Mitosis, Cytokinesis
S
G2
Cyc D’s
CDK4,6
Cyc B/A
CDK1
Cyc A
CDK2
M
Cyc E
CDK2
6-12 h
RNA, Protein
p53 pRb Lamin H1 AblTHE
THE
G1
G1
( GAP 1 ) PHASE IS CHARACTERIZED BY
( GAP 1 ) PHASE IS CHARACTERIZED BY
GENE
GENE
EXPRESSION AND PROTEIN SYNTHESIS.
EXPRESSION AND PROTEIN SYNTHESIS.
REGULATED PRIMARILY BY
REGULATED PRIMARILY BY
EXTRACELLULAR
EXTRACELLULAR
STIMULI.
STIMULI.
THE CELL GROWS AND PRODUCES ALL
THE CELL GROWS AND PRODUCES ALL
THE
THE
NECESSARY PROTEINS FOR DNA
NECESSARY PROTEINS FOR DNA
SYNTHESIS.
SYNTHESIS.
THE
THE
S PHASE :
S PHASE :
THE CELL REPLICATES ITS DNA,
THE CELL REPLICATES ITS DNA,
SO IT
SO IT
NOW HAS 2 COMPLETE SETS OF DNA.
NOW HAS 2 COMPLETE SETS OF DNA.
THIS ALLOWS THE CELL TO DIVIDE INTO
DURING THE
DURING THE G2G2 PHASE , THE CELL UNDERGOES PHASE , THE CELL UNDERGOES
GROWTH AND PROTEIN SYNTHESIS --- GROWTH AND PROTEIN SYNTHESIS --- PRIMING
PRIMING
IT TO BE ABLE TO DIVIDE.IT TO BE ABLE TO DIVIDE.
ONCE THIS IS COMPLETE , THE CELL ONCE THIS IS COMPLETE , THE CELL FINALLY
FINALLY
ENTERS THE FOURTH & FINAL PHASE, M ENTERS THE FOURTH & FINAL PHASE, M PHASE
PHASE
DURING THE
DURING THE M PHASE M PHASE, THE CELL SPLITS APART, THE CELL SPLITS APART
INTO 2 DAUGHTER CELLS.INTO 2 DAUGHTER CELLS.
NOW THE CYCLE HAS BEEN COMPLETED.NOW THE CYCLE HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
WHAT DO THE CELLS DO NOW ?
WHAT DO THE CELLS DO NOW ?
THERE ARE 2 CHOICES : EITHER……… START
THERE ARE 2 CHOICES : EITHER……… START
THE CYCLE AGAIN BY ENTERING
THE CYCLE AGAIN BY ENTERING G1G1, OR IT CAN, OR IT CAN BE QUIESCENT BY ENTERING
THE INHERRENT PROBLEM WITH THIS CYCLE ;
THE INHERRENT PROBLEM WITH THIS CYCLE ;
IF IT WASN’T CONTROLLED, THE CELLS WOULD
IF IT WASN’T CONTROLLED, THE CELLS WOULD
CONTINUE TO GROW AND DIVIDE…OVER AND
CONTINUE TO GROW AND DIVIDE…OVER AND
OVER AGAIN, SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
OVER AGAIN, SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
PROTEINS THAT REGULATE AND CONTROL THE
PROTEINS THAT REGULATE AND CONTROL THE
CELL CYCLE.
CELL CYCLE.
THESE CONTROL MECHANISMS ARE DEFECTIVE
THESE CONTROL MECHANISMS ARE DEFECTIVE
IN MALIGNANT CANCER CELLS.
IN MALIGNANT CANCER CELLS.
THE CONTROL MECHANISMS ARE THE
THE CONTROL MECHANISMS ARE THE CHECK- CHECK-POINTS
POINTS..
THERE 2 CHECKPOINTS FOR THE CELL CYCLE :
THERE 2 CHECKPOINTS FOR THE CELL CYCLE :
* AT THE END OF THE
* AT THE END OF THE G1 PHASEG1 PHASE,, * AT THE END OF THE
* AT THE END OF THE G2 PHASEG2 PHASE
WHEN THE DIVIDING CELLS ARE IN CONTACT
WHEN THE DIVIDING CELLS ARE IN CONTACT
WITH OTHER CELLS --- STOP DIVIDING
IF THE CELLS ARE SURROUNDED BY LOTS OF
IF THE CELLS ARE SURROUNDED BY LOTS OF OTHER OTHER CELLS, IT MAY FAIL TO PASS THE CHECKPOINT
CELLS, IT MAY FAIL TO PASS THE CHECKPOINT
BECAUSE IT COULDN’T DIVIDE IT IS ALREADY
BECAUSE IT COULDN’T DIVIDE IT IS ALREADY
CROWDED.
CROWDED.
THE CHECKPOINTS ARE OUR DEFENSE AGAINST
THE CHECKPOINTS ARE OUR DEFENSE AGAINST
TUMORS.
TUMORS.
CONTROL OF THE CELL CYCLE
CONTROL OF THE CELL CYCLE
AMONG THE MAIN PLAYERS ARE :
AMONG THE MAIN PLAYERS ARE :
*
*
CYCLINS
CYCLINS
. THERE ARE 3 GROUPS :
. THERE ARE 3 GROUPS :
- G1 CYCLINS
- G1 CYCLINS
- S-PHASE CYCLINS
- S-PHASE CYCLINS
- M-PHASE CYCLINS
- M-PHASE CYCLINS
THEIR LEVELS IN THE CELL RISE AND FALL
THEIR LEVELS IN THE CELL RISE AND FALL
WITH THE STAGES OF THE CELL CYCLE.
WITH THE STAGES OF THE CELL CYCLE.
*
* CYCLIN-DEPENDENT KINASESCYCLIN-DEPENDENT KINASES ( ( CDKs CDKs ).).
HERE ARE 3 GROUPS : - G1 CDKsHERE ARE 3 GROUPS : - G1 CDKs - S-PHASE - S-PHASE CDKs CDKs - M-PHASE - M-PHASE CDKs CDKs
THEIR LEVELS IN THE CELL REMAIN STABILE, THEIR LEVELS IN THE CELL REMAIN STABILE, BUT EACH MUST BEHIND THE APPROPRIATE
BUT EACH MUST BEHIND THE APPROPRIATE
CYCLIN IN ORDER TO BE ACTIVATED.CYCLIN IN ORDER TO BE ACTIVATED. *
* THE ANAPHASE-PROMOTING COMPLEX THE ANAPHASE-PROMOTING COMPLEX ( ( APC APC ))
Variation in Cell Cycle Cyclins
Variation in Cell Cycle Cyclins
M
G
1S
G
2M G
1Start
Cell cycle phases
Cyclin-dependent kinases
D
E
A
B(A)
cyclins
pRb
pRb
Cell Cycle Regulation
Cell Cycle Regulation
CDK2 CE
E2F Enzymes for DNA synthesis Passage from G1 to S DNA damage 1. CDK phosphorylation 2. C degradation 3. C & CDK synthesis 4. CDK inhibition pRb P Active p53 p21 pRb
THE APC :
THE APC :
- TRIGGERS THE EVENTS LEADING
- TRIGGERS THE EVENTS LEADING
TO
TO
DESTRUCTION OF THE COHESINS DESTRUCTION OF THE COHESINS AND
AND
THUS ALLOWING THE SISTER THUS ALLOWING THE SISTER
TIDS TO SEPARATETIDS TO SEPARATE
- DEGRADES THE MITOTIC (
- DEGRADES THE MITOTIC ( M-
M-PHASE)
PHASE)
CYCLINS.CYCLINS.
CYCLINS & CYCLIN-DEPENDENT KINASES ( CDK )
CYCLINS & CYCLIN-DEPENDENT KINASES ( CDK )
THE ORDERLY PROGRESSION OF CELLS
THE ORDERLY PROGRESSION OF CELLS
THROUGH THE CELL CYCLE IS ORCHESTRATED BY
THROUGH THE CELL CYCLE IS ORCHESTRATED BY
CYCLINS AND CDKs AND THEIR INHIBITORS.
CYCLINS AND CDKs AND THEIR INHIBITORS.
CDKs DRIVE THE CELL CYCLE BY
CDKs DRIVE THE CELL CYCLE BY
PHOSPHORYLATING CRITICAL TARGET PROTEINS.
PHOSPHORYLATING CRITICAL TARGET PROTEINS.
CDKs ARE EXPRESSED DURING THE CELL
CDKs ARE EXPRESSED DURING THE CELL
CYCLE IN AN INACTIVE FORM. THEY ARE
CYCLE IN AN INACTIVE FORM. THEY ARE
ACTIVATED BY PHOSPHORYLATION AFTER
CYCLINS ARE SYNTHESIZED DURING SPECIFIC PHASES
CYCLINS ARE SYNTHESIZED DURING SPECIFIC PHASES
OF THE CELL CYCLE, AND THEIR FUNCTION IS TO
OF THE CELL CYCLE, AND THEIR FUNCTION IS TO
ACTIVATE THE CDKs.
ACTIVATE THE CDKs.
THE TRANSITION FROM G1 TO S IS AN EXTREMELY
THE TRANSITION FROM G1 TO S IS AN EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT CHECKPOINT IN THE CELL CYCLE
IMPORTANT CHECKPOINT IN THE CELL CYCLE
BECAUSE ONCE CELLS CROSS THIS BARRIER THEY
BECAUSE ONCE CELLS CROSS THIS BARRIER THEY
ARE COMMITED TO PROGRESS INTO S PHASE.
ARE COMMITED TO PROGRESS INTO S PHASE.
WHEN A CELL RECEIVES GROWTH-PROMOTING
WHEN A CELL RECEIVES GROWTH-PROMOTING
SIGNALS, THE SYNTHESIS OF D TYPE CYCLINS THAT
SIGNALS, THE SYNTHESIS OF D TYPE CYCLINS THAT
BIND TO CDK4 AND CDK6 IS STIMULATED IN THE
BIND TO CDK4 AND CDK6 IS STIMULATED IN THE
EARLY PART OF G1.
PROGRESSION FROM S PHASE INTO G2 PHASE IS
PROGRESSION FROM S PHASE INTO G2 PHASE IS
FASCILITATED BY CYCLINS WHICH BINDS TO
FASCILITATED BY CYCLINS WHICH BINDS TO
CDK2 AND TO CDK1.
CDK2 AND TO CDK1.
EARLY IN THE G2 PHASE, B CYCLIN TAKES
EARLY IN THE G2 PHASE, B CYCLIN TAKES
OVER FORMING COMPLEXES WITH CDK1,
OVER FORMING COMPLEXES WITH CDK1,
WHICH
WHICH
HELPS THE CELL MOVE FROM G2 TO M.
HELPS THE CELL MOVE FROM G2 TO M.
THE ACTIVITY OF CDKs IS REGULATED BY 2
THE ACTIVITY OF CDKs IS REGULATED BY 2
FAMILIES OF CDK INHIBITORS ( CDKIS ).
FAMILIES OF CDK INHIBITORS ( CDKIS ).
ONE FAMILY OF CDKIS, COMPOSED OF
ONE FAMILY OF CDKIS, COMPOSED OF P21, P21, P27,
P27, AND P 57, AND P 57, INHIBITS THE CDKs BROADLY.INHIBITS THE CDKs BROADLY.
THE OTHER FAMILY OF CDKIS HAS
THE OTHER FAMILY OF CDKIS HAS
SELECTIVE
SELECTIVE
EFFECTS ON CYCLIN D / CDK4 AND CYCLIN D
EFFECTS ON CYCLIN D / CDK4 AND CYCLIN D
/
THE FOUR MEMBERS OF THIS FAMILY (
THE FOUR MEMBERS OF THIS FAMILY ( P15, P16,P15, P16, P18, P19 )
P18, P19 ) ARE SOMETIMES CALLED INK4 ARE SOMETIMES CALLED INK4
BECAUSE THEY ARE INHIBITOR OF CDK4 AND
BECAUSE THEY ARE INHIBITOR OF CDK4 AND
CDK6.
CDK6.
WITH THIS BACKGROUND, IT COULD BE
WITH THIS BACKGROUND, IT COULD BE
UNDER-STOOD THAT MUTATIONS THAT DYSREGULATE
STOOD THAT MUTATIONS THAT DYSREGULATE
THE ACTIVITY OF CYCLINS AND CDKs WOULD
THE ACTIVITY OF CYCLINS AND CDKs WOULD
FAVOR CELL RPOLIFERATION.
FAVOR CELL RPOLIFERATION.
MISHAPS AFFECTING THE EXPRESSION OF
MISHAPS AFFECTING THE EXPRESSION OF
CYCLIN D OR CDK4 SEEM TO BE A COMMON
CYCLIN D OR CDK4 SEEM TO BE A COMMON
EVENT IN NEOPLASTIC TRANSFORMATION.
THE CYCLIN D GENES ARE EXPRESSED IN
THE CYCLIN D GENES ARE EXPRESSED IN
MANY CANCERS, INCLUDING THOSE
MANY CANCERS, INCLUDING THOSE
AFFECTING THE BREAST, ESOPHAGUS AND
AFFECTING THE BREAST, ESOPHAGUS AND
LIVER AND IN A SUBSET OF LYMPHOMAS.
LIVER AND IN A SUBSET OF LYMPHOMAS.
AMPLIFICATION OF THE CDK4 GENE
AMPLIFICATION OF THE CDK4 GENE
OCCURS IN
OCCURS IN
MELANOMAS, SARCOMAS AND
MELANOMAS, SARCOMAS AND
GLIOBLASTOMAS.
p53
p53
PATHWAY
PATHWAY
p53
p53 IS THE TUMOR SUPPRESSOR PROTEIN IS THE TUMOR SUPPRESSOR PROTEIN THAT REGULATES THE CELL CYCLE.
THAT REGULATES THE CELL CYCLE.
p
p53 IS THE MOST FREQUENTLY DISRUPTED 53 IS THE MOST FREQUENTLY DISRUPTED
GENE IN CANCER, ILLUSTRATING ITS IMPORTANCE.
GENE IN CANCER, ILLUSTRATING ITS IMPORTANCE.
P
P53 IS A DNA-BINDING PROTEIN INVOLVED IN 53 IS A DNA-BINDING PROTEIN INVOLVED IN REGULATING THE EXPRESSION OF GENES
REGULATING THE EXPRESSION OF GENES
INVOLVED IN CELL CYCLE ARREST AND
INVOLVED IN CELL CYCLE ARREST AND
APOPTOSIS.
APOPTOSIS.
p
p53 RECOGNIZES WHEN SOMETHING IN THE 53 RECOGNIZES WHEN SOMETHING IN THE CELL HAS GONE WRONG AND EITHER TELLS THE
p
p53 PROTEIN LEVELS ARE NORMALLY KEPT VERY 53 PROTEIN LEVELS ARE NORMALLY KEPT VERY LOW WITHIN THE CELL; ONCE STIMULATED, THE
LOW WITHIN THE CELL; ONCE STIMULATED, THE
LEVELS ARE RAPIDLY INCREASED ALONG WITH ITS
LEVELS ARE RAPIDLY INCREASED ALONG WITH ITS
HALF-LIFE.
HALF-LIFE.
THE NEGATIVE REGULATOR OF
THE NEGATIVE REGULATOR OF pp53 IS Mdm2 53 IS Mdm2 WHICH IS ACTUALLY A
WHICH IS ACTUALLY A pp53 RESPONSIVE GENE. 53 RESPONSIVE GENE.
p
p53 ACTIVATED, THEN INCREASED THE Mdm2 53 ACTIVATED, THEN INCREASED THE Mdm2 LEVELS WHICH INACTIVATES
LEVELS WHICH INACTIVATES pp53, TURNING IT OFF.53, TURNING IT OFF.
ONE MECHANISM THAT INHIBITS Mdm2 IS BY
ONE MECHANISM THAT INHIBITS Mdm2 IS BY
ONCOGENES BY INDUCING THE EXPRESSION OF A
ONCOGENES BY INDUCING THE EXPRESSION OF A
TUMOR SUPPRESOR PROTEIN CALLED p19ARF.
TWO CDKs ARE ACTIVATED NEAR THE END OF G1
TWO CDKs ARE ACTIVATED NEAR THE END OF G1
AND S PHASE : CDK2 AND cdc2 ( CDK1 ).
AND S PHASE : CDK2 AND cdc2 ( CDK1 ).
ONCE THE CELL HAS BEGUN TO CYCLE THESE 2
ONCE THE CELL HAS BEGUN TO CYCLE THESE 2
CDKs CAN ALSO INHIBIT
CDKs CAN ALSO INHIBIT pp53.53.
CDK2 AND cdc2 ARE THOUGHT TO KEEP
CDK2 AND cdc2 ARE THOUGHT TO KEEP pp53 IN 53 IN THE CYTOPLASM.
THE CYTOPLASM.
WHEN THE CELL IS NOT IN G1, CDK2 ACTIVITY (
WHEN THE CELL IS NOT IN G1, CDK2 ACTIVITY (
BY BINDING TO CYCLIN E OR CYCLIN A ) IS
BY BINDING TO CYCLIN E OR CYCLIN A ) IS
INCREASED AT THE END OF G1 WHICH CAN
INCREASED AT THE END OF G1 WHICH CAN
PHOSPHORYLATE
CELL DEATH
IN 1972 KERR, WYLLIE AND CURRIE DISTINGUISHED BETWEEN TWO FORMS OF CELL DEATH, NECROSIS AND APOPTOSIS. NECROSIS IS THE FORM OF DEATH WHICH RESULTS FROM CELLULAR METABOLIC COLLAPSE, WHEN A CELL CAN NO LONGER MAINTAIN IONIC HOMEOSTASIS. NECROSIS IS NOT SEEN IN NORMAL DEVELOPMENT, BUT IS INVARIABLY THE RESPONSE TO INURY OR TOXIC DAMAGE.
APOPTOSIS, OR PROGRAMMED CELL DEATH , IS A CENTRAL PART OF NORMAL DEVELOPMENT. IT IS A GENETICALLY MEDIATED FORM OF CELL DEATH, WHICH IS INVOLVED IN ORGANOGENESIS, TISSUE HOMEOSTASIS AND THE EDITING OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM TO REMOVE AUTOREACTIVE CLONES.
IN TISSUE, APOPTOSIS CHARACTERISTICALLY AFFECTS SCATTERED INDIVIDUAL CELLS IN CONTRAST TO NECROSIS WHICH USUALLY INVOLVES TRACTS OF CONTIGUOUS CELLS. INFLAMMATION IS TYPICLLY ABSENT IN AREAS OF TISSUE UNDERGOING APOPTOSIS.
APOPTOTIC CELLS LOSE CONTACT WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS, DECREASE IN SIZE AND SHOW CONDENSATION OF CHROMATIN. THE CELLULAR DNA IS DEGRADED .
THE CELL MEMBRANE PROTIENS ARE CROSS LINKED MAKING THE MEMBRANE MORE RIGID AND THE APOPTOTIC CELLS ARE TYPICALLY PHAGOCYTOSED BY ADJACENT CELLS OR MACROPHAGES.
UNDER SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, HOWEVER, APOPTOSIS CAN ALSO BE SEEN IN RESPONSE TO A NUMBER OF ABNORMAL STIMULI WHICH INCLUDE HORMONAL OR GROWTH FACTOR MANIPULATIONS, ABERRANT GENE EXPRESSION, PARTICULARLY OF ONCOGENES, OR ANTI-ONCOGENES, AND IN RESPONSE TO A NUMBER OF TOXIC AGENTS INCLUDING
THEREFORE, APOPTOSIS IS MAINLY THE RESULT OF A PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESS BY WHICH CELLS ARE ELIMINATED WHEN THEY ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED BY THE BODY.
APOPTOSIS ( LITERAALY “ FALLING OFF” AS OF LEAVES IN AUTUMN ) IS CHARACTERIZED BY SHRINKAGE AND COMPACTION OF THE DYING CELL. IT RAPIDLY BREAKS UP TO FORM “ APOPTOTIC BODIES “ . CELLS APPEAR AS INCONSPICUOUS ROUND OR OVAL EOSINOPHILIC STRUCTURES WITH DENSE CHROMATIN INCLUSIONS.
APOPTOSIS REQUIRES CONTINUING SYNTHESIS OF RNA AND PROTEIN AND A SUPPLY OF ATP, FEATURES SUGGESTING THAT THE PROCESS IS ONE OF THE ACTIVE SELF DESTRUCTION.
REGULATION OF CELL PROLIFERATION AND THE CONTROL OF APOPTOSIS
THERE ARE SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE CONTROL OF APOPTOSIS SEEMS TO BE LINKED TO SOME OF THE GENES WHICH ALSO REGULATE CELL CYCLE PROGRESSION.
THYMOCYTES UNDERGO APOPTOSIS AT THE G0- TRANSITION IN RESPONSE TO GLUCOCORTICOIDS OR XRAYS.
p53 GENE WHICH IS STRONGLY IMPLICATED IN HUMAN AND ANIMAL CARCINOGENESIS CAN ALSO BE A SIGNIFICANT REGU;ATOR OF THE PROCESS OF APOPTOSIS.
ALTERATIONS IN CELL PROLIFERATIVE ACTIVITY ARE ALSO INTIMATELY LINKED TO THE CONTROL OF APOPTOSIS. THIS LINKAGE HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BOTH FOR THE TUMOR SUPPRESSOR GENES p53 AND RETINOBLSTOMA AND FOR THE DOMINANT ONCOGENE Myc.
IN VIRUSES WITH ANTI-APOPTOTIC FUNCTIUONS PRESUMABLY EVOLVED TO PERMIT VIRAL REPLICATION, PROMOTE THE UNCONTROLLED CELLULAR
p53 AND APOPTOSIS
p53 MUTATIONS ARE NOW RECOGNIZED TO BE THE MOST COMMON GENETIC CHANGES IN HUMAN CANCER. P53 IS NOW MORE PROPERLY THOUGHT OF AS A TUMOR SUPPRESSOR GENE.
THE ACTION OF p53 IS COMPLEX. IT BINDS TO MANY IMPORTANT CELLULAR PROTEINS AND IS INVOLVED IN THE CONTROL OF GENE EXPRESSION. NOW MORE FOCUSING ON ITS ROLES IN CEL CYCLE DELAY IN G1 PHASE AND IN APOPTOSIS.
IT IS NOW RECOGNIZED THAT p53 CAN REGULATE BOTH CELL PROLIFERATION AND INDUCES APOPTOSIS DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND CELLULAR BACKGROUND.
RECENT STUDIES DEMOSTRATED THAT, IN THE ABSENCE OF RETINOBLASTOMA GENE FUNCTION, THE APOPTOTIC ACTION OF p53 CAN COMPENSATE FOR THIS LOSS AND THUS PREVENT MALIGNANT TRANSFORMATION.
THE Rb PROTEIN PREVENTS CELL CYCLE PROGRESSION AT G1 / S BY INHIBITING MEMBERS OF THE E2F FAMILY OF TRANSRIPTIONAL FACTORS THEREBY INHIBITING THE EXPRESSION OF MANY GENES IMPLICATED IN S PHASE, INCLUDING TK, Myc, DHFR AND DNA POLYMERASE. THUS , THE Rb GENE PRODUCT IN THE DEVELOPING LENS CAUSES THE CELLS TO UNDERGO GROWTH ARREST AND TO TERMINALLY DIFFERENTIATE.
THE FUNCTIONS OF p53 AND Rb GENE PRODUCTS ARE TIGHTLY LINKED TO CELL CYCLE EVENTS IN THE G1 PHASE OF THE CELL CYCLE. p53 IS KNOWN TO INDUCE G1 ARREST AS WELL AS APOPTOSIS.
XRAYS OR OTHER DNA-DAMAGING AGENTS HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO INCREASE THE LEVELS OF p53 BY A POST-TRANSLATIONAL MECHANISM. INCREASED p53 IS KNOWN TO RESULT IN A G1 ARREST WHICH IS MEDIATED BY INDUCTION OF TWO IDENTIFIED GENES WAF1 / CIP 1, A POTENT INHIBITOR OF SEVERAL CYCLIN DEPENDENT KINASES ( cdks ), PARTICULARLY OF G1 Cdks WHICH ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE G1/S TRANSITON
Bcl-2 and APOPTOSIS
Bcl-2 WAS DISCOVERED AS A GENE WHOSE EXPRESSION WAS INCREASED BY CHROMOSOMAL TRANSLOCATIONS IN B-CELL MALIGNANCIES. IT IS FOUND TO BE ACTIVATED IN THE M AJORITY OF FOLLICULAR NON-HODGKIN’S LYMPHOMAS AND LESS COMMONLY OIN PROSTATE CANCER.
ITS ACTIVATION HAS ALSO BEEN SEEN IN SOME BENIGN CONDITIONS SUCH AS FOLLICULAR HYPERTROPHY OF LYMPH NODES AND TONSILS.
RECENT YEARS Bcl-2 HAS BEENNFOCUSED ON ITS FUNCTION AS OPPONENT OF APOPTOSIS.
IN MULTIPLE SYSTEMS, LYMPHOCYTES, FIBROBLASTS, NEURONS, HEMATOPOIETIC CELLS ETC, EXPRESSION OF Bcl-2 SHOWN TO ABLE TO DELAY OR EVEN PREVENT APOPTOSIS.