The p53 tumour suppressor protein has a crucial role in cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. Previous reports show that the p53 messenger RNA is translated to produce an amino-terminaldeleted isoform (DN-p53) from an internal initiation codon, which acts as a dominant-negative inhibitor of full-length p53. Here, we show that two internal ribosome entry sites (IRESs) mediate the translation of both full-length and DN-p53 isoforms. The IRES directing the translation of full-length p53 is in the 5 0 -untranslated region of the mRNA, whereas the IRES mediating the translation of DN-p53 extends into the protein-coding region. The two IRESs show distinct cell-cycle phase-dependent activity, with the IRES for full-length p53 being active at the G2-M transition and the IRES for DN-p53 showing highest activity at the G1-S transition. These results indicate a novel translational control of p53 gene expression and activity.

The p53 tumor suppressor protein plays a key role in maintaining genomic integrity. Enhanced expression of p53 during genotoxic stress is due to both increased protein stability and translational upregulation. Previous reports have shown that p53 mRNA is translated from an alternative initiation codon to produce N-terminal truncated isoform (ΔN-p53) besides fulllength p53. We have demonstrated that two internal ribosome entry sites (IRESs) regulate the translation of p53 and ΔN-p53 in a distinct cell cycle phase-dependent manner. Here, we report that polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTB) is a p53 IRES interacting trans-acting factor. PTB protein binds specifically to both the p53 IRESs but with differential affinity. siRNA-mediated knockdown of PTB protein results in reduction of activity of both IRESs and also the levels of both the isoforms. It is well known that DNA-damaging agents such as doxorubicin enhance the expression of p53. Our results indicate that during doxorubicin treatment, PTB protein translocates from nucleus to the cytoplasm, probably to facilitate IRES mediated p53 translation. These observations suggest that the relative cytoplasmic abundance of PTB protein, under DNA-damaging conditions, might contribute to regulating the coordinated expression of the p53 isoforms, owing to the differential affinity of PTB binding to the two p53 IRESs.

The tumor suppressor p53 represents a paradigm for gene regulation. Its rapid induction in response to DNA damage conditions has been attributed to both increased half-life of p53 protein and also increased translation of p53 mRNA. Recent advances in our understanding of the post-transcriptional regulation of p53 include the discovery of internal ribosome entry sites (IRESs) within the p53 mRNA. These IRES elements regulate the translation of the full length as well as the N-terminally truncated isoform, p53/47. The p53/47 isoform is generated by alternative initiation at an internal AUG codon present within the p53 ORF. The aim of this review is to summarize the role of translational control mechanisms in regulating p53 functions. We discuss here in detail how diverse cellular stress pathways trigger alterations in the cap-dependent and cap-independent translation of p53 mRNA and how changes in the relative expression levels of p53 isoforms result in more differentiated p53 activity.

Earlier we have demonstrated the presence of internal ribosome entry site (IRES) within tumor suppressor p53 mRNA. Here we have mapped the putative secondary structure of p53- IRES RNA using information from chemical probing and nuclease mapping experiments. Additionally, the secondary structure of the IRES element of the wild-type RNA was compared with cancer-derived silent mutant p53 RNAs. These mutations might result in the conformational alterations of p53-IRES RNAs. The results also indicate decreased IRES activities of the mutants as compared to wild-type RNA. Further, it was observed that some of the cytoplasmic trans-acting factors, critical for enhancing IRES function, were unable to bind mutant RNAs as efficiently as to wild-type. Our results suggest that hnRNP C1/C2 binds to p53-IRES and siRNA mediated partial silencing of hnRNP C1/C2 showed appreciable decrease in IRES function and consequent decrease in the level of the corresponding p53 isoform. Interestingly mutant p53 IRES showed lesser binding with hnRNP C1/C2 protein. Finally, upon doxorubicin treatment, the mutant RNAs were unable to show enhanced p53 synthesis to similar extent compared to wild type. Taken together, these observations suggest that mutations occurring in the p53 IRES might have profound implications for de-regulation of its expression and activity.

Tumor-suppressor protein p53, the 'guardian of the genome', is critical in maintaining cellular homeostasis and genomic stability. Earlier, we have reported the discovery of internal ribosome entry sites (IRESs) within the p53 mRNA that regulate the translation of the full length and its N-terminal-truncated isoform, ΔN-p53. Polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTB) is an IRES trans-acting factor that positively regulates the IRES activities of both p53 isoforms by relocating from nucleus to the cytoplasm during stress conditions. Here we have demonstrated the putative contact points of PTB on the p53 IRES RNA. Studies on mutations that occur naturally in the 5' untranslated region (5' UTR) in p53 mRNA were lacking. We have investigated a naturally occurring C-to-T single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) first reported in human melanoma tumors. This SNP is at position 119 in the 5' UTR of p53 mRNA and we demonstrate that it has consequences on the translational control of p53. Introduction of this SNP has led to decrease in cap-independent translation from p53 5' UTR in bicistronic reporter assay. Further, the effects of this SNP on cap-independent translation have been studied in the context of p53 cDNA as well. Interestingly, the 5' UTR with this SNP has shown reduced binding to PTB that can be corroborated to its weaker IRES activity. Previously, it has been shown that G2-M checkpoint, DNA-damaging stress and oncogenic insult favor IRES-mediated translation. Under similar conditions, we demonstrate that this SNP interferes with the enhancement of the IRES activity of the 5' UTR. Taken together, the results demonstrate for the first time that SNP in the 5' UTR of the p53 mRNA might have a role in translational control of this critical tumor-suppressor gene.

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