Insulin-like growth factor factor binding protein-2 is a novel mediator of p53 inhibition of insulin-like growth factor signaling.

The p53 tumor suppressor induces cellular growth arrest and apoptosis in response to DNA damage by transcriptionally activating or repressing target genes and also through protein-protein interactions and direct mitochondrial activities. In 1995, insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-3 was identified as one of the genes transcriptionally activated by p53. IGFBP-3 is one of six closely related IGFBP's, with additional IGFBP-related proteins belonging to the IGFBP superfamily. Here we show that IGFBP-2 is also a p53 target. Like IGFBP-3, IGFBP-2 secretion is reduced when p53+/+ lung cancer cells are transfected with human papillomavirus E6, which targets p53 for degradation. IGFBP-2 mRNA is induced by irradiation in vivo in a p53-dependent manner. p53 protein binds IGFBP-2 intronic sequences in an electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and activates transcription in a luciferase assay. Loss of IGFBP-2 inhibits the ability of p53 to inhibit the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1 by IGF-I. Thus, p53 effects on the IGF axis are more complex than previously appreciated, and overall transform the axis from IGF-mediated mitogenesis to growth inhibition and apoptosis. This has significant implications for how growth hormone and IGF-I can induce growth without also inducing cancer.

p53-Dependent and p53-independent induction of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 by deoxyribonucleic acid damage and hypoxia.

IGF binding protein (IGFBP)-3, the principal carrier of IGFs in the circulation, contributes to both endocrine and autocrine/paracrine growth control; it can be induced by GH, cytokines, retinoic acid, and tumor suppressors. Induction of IGFBP-3 by the tumor suppressor p53 has been shown in various models that directly manipulate p53 activity. However, the physiologic settings under which this induction occurs have not been established. DNA damage and hypoxia are two important physiologic activators of p53. We have demonstrated for the first time that IGFBP-3 is an in vivo target of p53 in response to ionizing radiation. This effect was tissue specific. Furthermore, we demonstrated that genotoxic drugs could increase IGFBP-3 protein levels and secretion in tumor cell lines in a p53-independent manner. Finally, we have established that IGFBP-3 induction under hypoxic conditions is independent of p53 in tumor cell lines derived form multiple tissue types. Thus, IGFBP-3 is induced by physiologic conditions that also induce p53, although p53 is not always required. Because IGFBP-3 can inhibit growth and induce apoptosis in IGF-dependent and IGF-independent manners, its induction by DNA damage and hypoxia suggest IGFBP-3 plays a role in the physiologic protection against aberrant cell growth.