Analysis of P53 Mutations and Their Expression in 56 Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines
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Analysis of P53 mutations and their expression in 56 colorectal cancer cell lines Ying Liu and Walter F. Bodmer* Cancer Research UK Cancer and Immunogenetics Laboratory, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DS, United Kingdom Contributed by Walter F. Bodmer, November 23, 2005 A comprehensive analysis of the TP53 gene and its protein status thought to mark the transition from adenoma to carcinoma, than in was carried out on a panel of 56 colorectal cancer cell lines. This early adenomas. This finding implies that most TP53 mutations analysis was based on a combination of denaturing HPLC mutation probably occur before metastasis (7, 8). The mechanism of how, or screening of all exons of the p53 gene, sequencing the cDNA, and whether, p53 plays a role in the metastasis of CRC remains assessing the function of the p53 protein by assaying the induced unknown. In an effort to address the above questions, we have expression of phosphorylated p53 and p21 after exposing cells to carried out a thorough analysis of p53 status in a panel of 56 ␥-rays. In a few cases where there was no production of p53 genetically well characterized CRC cell lines. The implications of message nor evidence of functional p53 protein, all of the p53 the results and comparisons with published data are discussed. exons were sequenced directly. Thirteen of the 56 cell lines had functional p53, 21 lines had missense mutations (one of which Results made no detectable protein), 4 lines produced no p53 transcripts, TP53 Mutation Detection. Primers located at least 50 bp away from and the remaining 18 lines carried truncating TP53 mutations. Thus, the ends of each exon were designed to amplify exons 1–11 of the our results showed a relatively high frequency of TP53 mutations TP53 gene (Table 1). All amplicons had exactly the size expected, (76.8%) in our cell lines, with almost half of the mutations being except in one case, namely exon 1 in cell line SW1222, where a truncating mutations. This is a rather higher frequency of such smaller amplicon than expected was observed. Sequencing con- mutations than usually reported. Of the 18 cell lines with truncat- firmed that the anomalous amplicon was due to a 113-bp homozy- ing mutations, 12 had detectable truncated protein based on gous deletion. All amplicons were subjected to denaturing HPLC Western blot analysis, whereas no protein was detected in the (DHPLC) analysis on the WAVE machine (Transgenomic, remaining 6 cell lines. Our data provide a valuable source of TP 53 Omaha, NE). Samples showing abnormal patterns were subse- mutations for further studies and raise the question of the extent quently sequenced. However, all of the exon 3 and 4 amplicons were to which truncating mutations may have dominant negative ef- sequenced directly because they did not show clear-cut peaks in fects, even when no truncated protein can be detected by standard DHPLC analysis. Based on this analysis, mutations were found in methods. 37 cell lines (Table 2). DNA damage ͉ p21 ͉ oncogenicity ͉ ␥-ray ͉ tumorigenesis For the 19 cell lines in which no mutations were detected by DHPLC analysis, RT-PCR was carried out to amplify the full length Ͼ of the p53 ORF. The complete TP53 ORF could be amplified in 11 he gene encoding p53 is found mutated in 50% of all types of of these cell lines. All of these ORF amplicons were sequenced Thuman cancers. Its most important normal function is probably directly, and mutations were identified in two further cell lines, to direct cell cycle arrest at the G1 or G2 phase of the cell cycle after CCK-81 and SNU-C2B. The p53 mRNA expression in the 8 cell certain types of DNA damage and to induce apoptosis when the lines that had not yielded an amplified p53 ORF was subsequently damage is too severe (1). The normal function of the p53 protein tested by using primers designed to amplify small regions of the can be assessed by its response to DNA damage, for example, mRNA (see Expression of Mutant and Truncated p53). ␥-irradiation. TP53 mutations in tumors are most probably primar- In the 17 cell lines in which no mutations had so far been ily selected for, because they interfere with the apoptotic process. identified, DNA damage experiments were carried out to ascertain To date, Ͼ75% of the TP53 mutations reported in colorectal whether they had functional p53 protein. Each of these cell lines in carcinomas (CRC) are missense mutations, which have been the ␥ focus of in vitro and in vivo studies. The in vitro studies clearly show exponential growth phase was treated with 6 Gy -ray and har- that (i) many mutant p53 proteins can inhibit normal p53 function, vested at 6 and 24 h after irradiation. The relative amounts of total (ii) the mutant proteins can acquire new abnormal functions, and p53 and Ser-15-phosphorylated p53 were assessed by Western (iii) different mutants vary in their oncogenicity (2). Recent in vivo blotting by using appropriate antibodies. Thirteen of these cell lines studies using mice transgenic for two mutations, R270H and showed obviously increased expression of phosphorylated p53, and, R172H, further support these findings (3, 4). These studies have in some cases total p53 (Fig. 1 and Table 3). Four cell lines, however, also, however, raised further questions. What are the mechanisms showed unexpected p53 expression patterns after treatment. Thus, that cause the variation in oncogenicity in different mutants? Could in cell lines NCI-H716 and CoCM1, no total or phosphorylated p53 they involve interactions between p53 and its relatives, such as p63 could be detected; in cell line RCM1, there was a smaller size p53 and p73 (5)? In the two mouse studies, the p53 mutants examined protein and no expression of phosphorylated p53; in cell line CC20, were minimally present in normal tissues and became stabilized there was no difference between the expression of total p53 and only in tumors. It was therefore suggested that a key p53 regulatory phosphorylated p53 before or after DNA damage. To clarify the network must be altered for the mutant protein to be selected for cause of the abnormal expression of p53, direct sequencing of exons during tumor evolution (6). Thus, the role of mutant p53 in the process of tumorigenesis may be much more complicated than previously thought, involving cell-type specificity and potential Conflict of interest statement: No conflicts declared. interactions with changes in other genes. Freely available online through the PNAS open access option. TP53 is estimated to be mutated in 40–50% of CRCs (http:͞͞ Abbreviations: CRC, colorectal carcinoma; DHPLC, denaturing HPLC. www-p53.iarc.fr͞index.html and http:͞͞p53.free.fr͞). It is much *To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: [email protected]. more frequently mutated in high-grade dysplastic polyps, which are © 2006 by The National Academy of Sciences of the USA 976–981 ͉ PNAS ͉ January 24, 2006 ͉ vol. 103 ͉ no. 4 www.pnas.org͞cgi͞doi͞10.1073͞pnas.0510146103 Downloaded by guest on September 26, 2021 Table 1. PCR amplification conditions for exons 1–11 of TP53 and their corresponding DHPLC analysis conditions PCR DHPLC denaturating Primer sequences product PCR Tm, temperature, °C͞gradient Exon (5Ј-3Ј) size, bp °C initial buffer B, % 1 cacagctctggcttgcaga 442 66 60͞58, 64͞52 agcgattttcccgagctga 2 agctgtctcagacactggca 317 64* 65͞47 gagcagaaagtcagtcccatg 3–4 agacctatggaaactgtgagtgga 631 56* N/A gaagcctaagggtgaagagga 5–6 cgctagtgggttgcagga 550 64 61͞57, 66͞49 cactgacaaccacccttaac 7 ctgcttgccacaggtctc 283 64 58͞54, 66͞46 tggatgggtagtagtatggaag 8–9 gttgggagtagatggagcct 455 64 57͞57, 63͞50 ggcattttgagtgttagactg 10 ctcaggtactgtgtatatacttac 351 59 57͞55, 65͞46 atactacgtggaggcaagaat 11 tcccgttgtcccagcctt 476 58 56͞58, 62͞53 taacccttaactgcaagaacat *With the addition of 0.5 ϫ Q (Qiagen PCR amplification kit). 1–11 of these 4 cell lines was carried out. This sequencing revealed C70. Freshly made Western blots from the remaining 11 cell lines, that each of them carried mutations in TP53 (Table 2). in which no protein had been detected by antibody DO-1, were To further confirm that the phosphorylated p53 in the 13 cell hybridized with a different N-terminal antibody to p53, PAb 1801. lines from the above study could indeed have an effect on its A single band with the expected truncated protein size was detected expected target genes, the expression of p21 protein was analyzed in an additional cell line C80. This protein product was not in those cell lines. Twelve of the 13 cell lines showed the expected detectable by DO-1, perhaps because the relevant epitope was increase in p21 protein, whereas one cell line, NCI-747, did not obscured by the conformation of the mutant protein. All of the cell show any expression of p21 either before or after DNA damage lines with truncation mutations were also analyzed with another p53 (Fig. 2 and Table 2). This finding may reflect mutation or deletion antibody, PAb1802, with specificity for a determinant near the C of the p21 gene in this cell line. terminus of p53. As expected, they were all negative for this Our results confirm that only one of the cell lines with mutant C-terminal antibody (data not shown). No protein product was p53, HCA7, also has WT p53 (Table 3). This result is in agreement detected consistently in the remaining 10 cell lines with truncation with our loss of heterozygosity (LOH) data for this region of or frameshift mutations in p53. chromosome 17p (data can be provided on request). The two cell For all of the 11 cell lines in which no mutant or truncated p53 lines SNU-C2B and VACO429 were each apparently heterozygous could be detected by Western blot analysis, RT-PCR was per- for two different mutations.