The Ewing's sarcoma oncoprotein EWS/FLI induces a p53-dependent growth arrest in primary human fibroblasts

Cancer Cell. 2002 May;1(4):393-401. doi: 10.1016/s1535-6108(02)00056-9.

Abstract

Ewing's sarcoma is associated with a fusion between the EWS and FLI1 genes, forming an EWS/FLI fusion protein. We developed a system for the identification of cooperative mutations in this tumor through expression of EWS/FLI in primary human fibroblasts. Gene expression profiling demonstrated that this system recapitulates many features of Ewing's sarcoma. EWS/FLI-expressing cells underwent growth arrest, suggesting that growth arrest-abrogating collaborative mutations may be required for tumorigenesis. Expression profiling identified transcriptional upregulation of p53, and the growth arrest was rescued by inhibition of p53. These data support a role for p53 as a tumor suppressor in Ewing's sarcoma and demonstrate the use of transcriptional profiling of model systems in the identification of cooperating mutations in human cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Bone Neoplasms / enzymology
  • Bone Neoplasms / genetics
  • Cell Division / physiology
  • Cell Survival / physiology
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic
  • Cells, Cultured / cytology
  • Cells, Cultured / metabolism
  • DNA Primers / chemistry
  • Fibroblasts / cytology*
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Mutation
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / physiology*
  • Proto-Oncogene Protein c-fli-1
  • RNA-Binding Protein EWS
  • Retroviridae / genetics
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sarcoma, Ewing / enzymology
  • Sarcoma, Ewing / genetics
  • Tetracyclines
  • Transcription Factors / physiology*
  • Transfection
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / genetics*
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / metabolism*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • DNA Primers
  • EWS-FLI fusion protein
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion
  • Proto-Oncogene Protein c-fli-1
  • RNA-Binding Protein EWS
  • Tetracyclines
  • Transcription Factors
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53