APOPTIN, A PROTEIN-DERIVED FROM CHICKEN ANEMIA VIRUS, INDUCES P53-INDEPENDENT APOPTOSIS IN HUMAN OSTEOSARCOMA CELLS

Previously, we have shown that the chicken anemia virus-derived VP3 (' 'apoptin'') protein induces apoptosis in chicken mononuclear cells. He re, we report that apoptin also induces apoptosis in human osteosarcom a cells, regardless of whether they expressed wild-type, mutant p53, o r no p51 at all. Moreover, the nuclear location of apoptin appears to be important for its optimal induction of apoptosis. The fact that apo ptin can induce p53-independent apoptosis in human tumor cells makes a poptin a potential candidate for treatment of frequently occurring typ es of cancer cells that do not contain functional p53.