Differential pRb cleavage upon exposure to different class of apoptosis inducing cytotoxic agents

Retinoblastoma protein (pRb) is a well characterized tumor suppressor protein. pRb in association with other protein binding partners is involved in G1 check point regulation. This check point ensures that cells have attained enough size and harbors sufficient nutrients before they enter into replication phase. pRb governing G1 check point is also activated upon exposure to cytotoxic agents (anticancer compounds) that induce apotosis. During apoptosis pRb is dephosphorylated resulting in cell cycle arrest and subsequently cleaved sequentially in response to cytotoxic agents. Here we present the differential cleavage pattern of pRb upon exposure to different class of anticancer compounds that induce apoptosis. This cleavage pattern may result due to the action of different effector caspases that recognizes specific consensus sequences of pRb. A particular type of sequential pRb cleavage induced by a specific cytotoxic agent may have advantage of an increased rate of apoptosis and subsequent rapid tumor clearance. Hence this small study may help to select the efficient anticancer compounds that induce specific pRb cleavage, which inturn enhance the rate of apoptosis rapidly compared to other cytotoxic agents that induce different type of pRb cleavage pattern.

Práce je podporována granty: MSM 6198959216 a LC07017.