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  2. Amyloid aggregates induced by the p53-R280T mutation lead to loss of p53 function in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Amyloid aggregates induced by the p53-R280T mutation lead to loss of p53 function in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

  • Cell Death Dis. 2024 Jan 11;15(1):35. doi: 10.1038/s41419-024-06429-8.
Jingzhi Li 1 2 Ming Guo 1 Lin Chen 3 Zhuchu Chen 1 Ying Fu 4 Yongheng Chen 5
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Oncology, NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics & State Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Anticancer Drugs, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
  • 2 Department of Obstetrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
  • 3 Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences and Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CAL, 90089, USA.
  • 4 Department of Oncology, NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics & State Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Anticancer Drugs, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China. fuying99@csu.edu.cn.
  • 5 Department of Oncology, NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics & State Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Anticancer Drugs, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China. yonghenc@163.com.
Abstract

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a malignant tumor that is highly prevalent in Southeast Asia, especially in South China. The pathogenesis of NPC is complex, and genetic alterations of tumor suppressors and proto-oncogenes play important roles in NPC carcinogenesis. p53 is unexpectedly highly expressed in NPC and possesses an uncommon mutation of R280T, which is different from a high frequency of hotspot mutations or low expression in other tumors. However, the mechanism of p53 loss of function and its correlation with R280T in NPC are still unclear. In this study, p53 amyloid aggregates were found to be widespread in NPC and can be mainly induced by the R280T mutation. Aggregated p53-R280T impeded its entry into the nucleus and was unable to initiate the transcription of downstream target genes, resulting in decreased NPC cell cycle arrest and Apoptosis. In addition, NPC cells with p53-R280T amyloid aggregates also contributed aggressively to tumor growth in vivo. Transcriptome analysis suggested that p53 amyloid aggregation dysregulated major signaling pathways associated with the cell cycle, proliferation, Apoptosis, and unfolded protein response (UPR). Further studies revealed that HSP90, as a key molecular chaperone in p53 folding, was upregulated in NPC cells with p53-R280T aggregation, and the upregulated HSP90 facilitated p53 aggregation in turn, forming positive feedback. Therefore, HSP90 inhibitors could dissociate p53-R280T aggregation and restore the suppressor function of p53 in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that p53-R280T may misfold to form aggregates with the help of HSP90, resulting in the inability of sequestered p53 to initiate the transcription of downstream target genes. These results revealed a new mechanism for the loss of p53 function in NPC and provided novel mechanistic insight into NPC pathogenesis.

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