Biomedical subjects

Chad A Corcoran

Publications and source records attributed to Chad A Corcoran.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

The regulation of energy generating metabolic pathways by p53.

The function of p53 as a tumor suppressor remains undisputed. p53 has a central role in cellular stress responses as well as affecting cancer development and progression. The word "central", however, is becoming increasingly more of an understatement as the list of p53-regulated pathways and processes is ever expanding. Although much focus continues to center on p53-mediated signaling cascades that control cell growth arrest and/or apoptosis, recent work has begun to define a role for p53 in the regulation of metabolic pathways typically thought of as essential for maintaining life. With the first potential link between p53 and glycolysis reported nearly ten years ago, the topic has gained a renewed interest. Recent studies now demonstrate the ability of p53 to regulate the expression of several novel genes including PGM (phosphoglycerate mutase), TIGAR (TP53-induced glycolysis and apoptosis regulator) and, SCO2 (synthesis of cytochrome c oxidase 2), each intimately linked to the processes of glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation. With this discovery, yet another novel means by which p53 carries out its tumor suppressor function is brought into light.

Energy Metabolism↗

PubMed2005

Genotoxic and endoplasmic reticulum stresses differentially regulate TRB3 expression.

TRB3 has recently been identified as a potential pro-apoptotic protein that may modulate the Akt/PKB-dependent signaling pathway. Here we report that TRB3 expression is strongly upregulated by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-inducing agents that (1) promote ER Ca2+ pool depletion or (2) disrupt protein trafficking. Genotoxic stress (DNA damage)-inducing agents, by contrast, downregulate TRB3 expression and appear to do so through both p53-dependent and -independent mechanisms. To the best of our knowledge, TRB3 is the first gene that is upregulated by ER stress and downregulated following genotoxic stress. Collectively, these findings highlight the importance of stress-specific signaling cascades as well as point out the seemingly divergent roles that TRB3 may play in the cellular stress response.

Cell Cycle Proteins↗

PubMed2005

Cyclooxygenase-2 interacts with p53 and interferes with p53-dependent transcription and apoptosis.

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) has been implicated in a variety of human malignancies and, accordingly, COX-2 selective inhibitors are being investigated as important chemopreventive and therapeutic agents. How COX-2 overexpression results in tumorigenesis and how COX-2 selective agents mediate their chemopreventive effects are issues that remain poorly understood. Here we report that the tumor suppressor p53 upregulates COX-2 expression and that COX-2 can in turn inhibit p53-dependent transcription. Additionally, a COX-2-selective inhibitor potentiates p53-induced apoptosis, which also supports the notion that COX-2 activity appears to interfere with p53 function. Expression of exogenous COX-2 in p53 wild-type cells does not affect the cytoplasmic or nuclear levels of p53, suggesting that COX-2 may not affect p53 turnover or subcellular localization. We further demonstrate that endogenous COX-2 interacts with p53 and that COX-2 and p53 interactions are a physiologically relevant event. Thus, p53 upregulates COX-2 and COX-2 in turn appears to negatively affect p53 activity via mechanisms that could involve physical interactions between COX-2 and p53. Based on our results, we propose that p53-dependent upregulation and activation of COX-2 appear to be yet another novel mechanism by which p53 could abate its own growth-inhibitory and apoptotic effects.

Apoptosis↗

PubMed2004

The p53 paddy wagon: COP1, Pirh2 and MDM2 are found resisting apoptosis and growth arrest.

For years, the growth inhibitory effects of the tumor suppressor p53 were thought to be antagonized predominantly by the ubiquitin ligase, MDM2. It has long been established that MDM2 physically associates with p53 and targets this tumor suppressor for proteasomal degradation. In light of recent findings, it now appears that MDM2 may not be the only ubiquitin ligase that negatively controls p53 function. Two recently discovered proteins, Pirh2 and COP1, are also believed to facilitate p53 degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Both proteins are upregulated by p53 as well as genotoxic stress and each has been found to directly promote p53 ubiquitination and degradation. Future studies in this field will now face the challenge of elucidating the physiological significance of three molecules all apparently able to independently facilitate p53 degradation and abrogate its function.

Apoptosis↗