Genes p53, p21 and p57 showing the greatest changes in response to DES exposure

A comparison of gene expression changes in response to diethylstilbestrol treatment in wild-type and p53+/- hemizygous knockout mice using focussed arrays

2003 Study Abstract

We have investigated the hepatic response of female C57BL/6J wild-type and p53(+/-) hemizygous mice to genotoxic levels of diethylstilbestrol (DES) using cell cycle and apoptosis-focussed cDNA expression arrays.

DES induced the expression of 12 genes (bad, bax, bcl-x, caspase-1, p53, cyclin D3, GADD45, p21, p15, p27, p57 and Skp1) and down-regulated the expression of eight genes (bcl-2, caspase-2, caspase-7, caspase-8, E124, iNOS, mdm2 and NFkappab1) at twofold or greater levels. Taken together, these changes were strongly reflective of the induction of apoptosis in the livers of DES-treated mice.

Of those genes showing the greatest changes in response to DES, p53, p21 and p57 were expressed at 2.1, 1.7 and 1.6 times greater (respectively) in wild-type mice as compared with p53(+/-) hemizygous mice. Differences in p53, p21 and bax expression were confirmed by RT-PCR and we conclude that the compromised response of p53(+/-) mice is likely to play a central role in the earlier appearance of tumours in this model, following exposure to genotoxic carcinogens.

Sources and more information
  • A comparison of gene expression changes in response to diethylstilbestrol treatment in wild-type and p53+/- hemizygous knockout mice using focussed arrays, Toxicology, NCBI PubMed PMID : 12505444, 2003 Mar 14.
  • Genes on parade featured image credit Esther Dyson.
DES DIETHYLSTILBESTROL RESOURCES

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