Tumor susceptibility of p21(Waf1/Cip1)-deficient mice

The cell cycle regulator p21 mediates the ability of the tumor suppressor p53 to arrest cellular proliferation. We have examined the involvement of p21 in tumor suppression by following a large cohort of p21-deficient mice for an extended period of time. We report that p21-deficient mice develop spo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cancer research (Chicago, Ill.) Ill.), 2001-08, Vol.61 (16), p.6234
Main Authors: Martín-Caballero, J, Flores, J M, García-Palencia, P, Serrano, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21
Cyclins - deficiency
Cyclins - genetics
Cyclins - physiology
Female
Male
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Mice, Knockout
Neoplasms, Experimental - etiology
Neoplasms, Experimental - genetics
Neoplasms, Experimental - pathology
Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced - etiology
Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced - genetics
Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced - pathology
Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 - physiology
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Summary:The cell cycle regulator p21 mediates the ability of the tumor suppressor p53 to arrest cellular proliferation. We have examined the involvement of p21 in tumor suppression by following a large cohort of p21-deficient mice for an extended period of time. We report that p21-deficient mice develop spontaneous tumors at an average age of 16 months, whereas wild-type mice are tumor-free beyond 2 years of age. The tumors arising in p21-null mice derive from a variety of cell types and include hematopoietic ( approximately 65% of the tumors), endothelial ( approximately 20%), and epithelial ( approximately 10%) tumors. We have also studied radiation-induced carcinogenesis to test whether, in this setting, p53 exerts its tumor suppressor activity mainly through apoptosis, rather than through p21-mediated cell-cycle arrest. Concurring with this, p21-deficient mice did not show increased susceptibility to radiation-induced carcinogenesis. On the contrary, they were protected relative to wild-type mice. We conclude that p21, by mediating p53-dependent cell-cycle arrest, plays a significant role in tumor suppression.
ISSN:0008-5472
1538-7445