Recombinant tumor necrosis factor–related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is an antitumor protein that is in clinical trials as a potential anticancer therapy but suffers from drug properties that may limit efficacy such as short serum half-life, stability, cost, and biodistribution, particularly with respect to the brain. To overcome such limitations, we identified TRAIL-inducing compound 10 (TIC10), a potent, orally active, and stable small molecule that transcriptionally induces TRAIL in a p53-independent manner and crosses the blood-brain barrier. TIC10 induces a sustained up-regulation of TRAIL in tumors and normal cells that may contribute to the demonstrable antitumor activity of TIC10. TIC10 inactivates kinases Akt and extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK), leading to the translocation of Foxo3a into the nucleus, where it binds to the TRAIL promoter to up-regulate gene transcription. TIC10 is an efficacious antitumor therapeutic agent that acts on tumor cells and their micro-environment to enhance the concentrations of the endogenous tumor suppressor TRAIL.

Loss of p53 sensitizes to antimicrotubule agents in human tumor cells, but little is known about its role during mitosis. We have identified the Polo-like kinase family member serum inducible kinase (Snk/Plk2) as a novel p53 target gene. Snk/Plk2 mutagenesis demonstrated that its kinase activity is negatively regulated by its C terminus. Small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated Snk/Plk2 silencing in the presence of the mitotic poisons paclitaxel (Taxol) or nocodazole significantly increased apoptosis, similar to p53 mutations, which confer paclitaxel sensitivity. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that the apoptosis due to silencing of Snk/Plk2 in the face of spindle damage occurs in mitotic cells and not in cells that have progressed to a G 1 -like state without dividing. Since siRNA directed against Snk/Plk2 promoted death of paclitaxel-treated cells in mitosis, we envision a mitotic checkpoint wherein p53-dependent activation of Snk/Plk2 prevents mitotic catastrophe following spindle damage. Finally, these studies suggest that disruption of Snk/Plk2 may be of therapeutic value in sensitizing paclitaxel-resistant tumors.

HIF-1, a hypoxia inducible transcription factor, plays a pivotal role in the cellular response to hypoxia by activating genes involved in glucose metabolism, vascular remodeling, and erythropoiesis. We identified Mxi1, a c-Myc antagonist, as a novel target gene induced in hypoxia. Mxi1 was not induced in cells deficient in ARNT (HIF-1β), suggesting that Mxi1 is a transcriptional target of the HIF-1 complex. Notably, c-Myc protein levels decreased during hypoxia but were stabilized by a proteasome inhibitor. Analysis of downstream transcriptional targets of c-Myc during hypoxia revealed that genes regulated by c-Myc, such as ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), were downregulated during hypoxia. In contrast, genes that are regulated by c-Myc and HIF-1, such as LDH-A, were upregulated. Mxi1 protects against c-Myc-dependent sensitization to hypoxia-induced apoptosis. The results suggest a coordinated mechanism for opposing c-Myc signaling during hypoxia that is mediated by a reduction in c-Myc levels, the induction of Mxi1, and a dominant effect of HIF-1 transcriptional activity.

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The zebrafish, Danio rerio, has become a favorite model organism for geneticists and developmental biologists. Recently cancer biologists have turned to this tiny fish to help them unravel the mysteries of conserved pathways such as the Fanconi Anemia (FA) pathway. Although a relatively rare disease, the genes involved in FA are part of a large network of DNA damage response/repair genes. Liu and colleagues have recapitulated some of the clinical manifestations of human FA by knocking down the zebrafish FANC-D2 gene thereby providing a new model for probing the underlying causes of these phenotypes.