The Role of GADD34 (Growth Arrest and DNA Damage-Inducible Protein) in Regulating Apoptosis, Proliferation, and Protein Synthesis in Human Breast Cancer Cells

Abstract

The proto-oncogene c-myc has been widely implicated in human cancer'. One of the major cellular targets of c-myc is the stress-induced gene GADD34. GADD34 is a potent apoptotic-inducer, but c-myc expression potently inhibits GADD34 expression, indicating that GADD34 may be an important target of c-myc-mediated oncogenesis2. (3ADD34 is a scaffolding protein that interacts with several proteins including Protein Phosphatase 1 (PP1) and a PP1 inhibitor, Inhibitor-1 (I-1) sub 3. GADD34 binds and targets PP1 to the eukaryotic inhibitor factor 2 alpha (eIF2 alpha) and promotes its dephosphorylation. The reversible phosphorylation of eIF2 alpha is a critical step in the control of translation by stress signaling and is the target of several kinases. Interestingly, the anti-cancer drug methylselenocysteine (MSC or Avemar) both promotes apoptosis and GADD34 expression in human cancer cells sub 4. Another drug, salubrinal, inhibits the GADD34-PP1 complex, and inhibits apoptosis in mammalian cells sub 5. This indicates that GADD34 could prove to be an important target for anticancer therapies.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 2005
Accession Number
ADA443994

Entities

People

  • Douglas C. Welser

Organizations

  • Duke University Hospital

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DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Albumins
  • Amino Acids
  • Biochemistry
  • Biological Sciences
  • Cells
  • Chemical Synthesis
  • Chemistry
  • Eukaryotes
  • Fungi
  • Gene Expression
  • Gene Therapy
  • Genetic Structures
  • Genetics
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  • Molecular Biology
  • Neoplasms
  • Pharmacology

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  • Biology
  • Chemistry

Readers

  • Cellular and Molecular Pathways of Apoptosis.