NUCLEAR ACCUMULATION OF P53 IN RESPONSE TO TREATMENT WITH DNA-DAMAGING AGENTS

A number of agents which damage DNA also trigger the nuclear accumulat ion of the tumor suppressor protein p53. Here we show the correlation with different p53 detection methods. As an example we investigated th e effects of the cancer therapy drug mitomycin C on different mammalia n cell lines. Our findings demonstrate that either the immunofluoresce nce techniques (indirect immunofluorescence staining or flow cytometri c analysis) or ELISA or immunoblot assays are useful methods in detect ing p53 accumulation. Simultaneously we measured DNA damage with the t erminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase assay. Compatible data were obtai ned. Thus p53 accumulation may be used as indicator of DNA injury.