Abstract #LB-182: DRAM2 (Damage Regulated Autophagy Regulator 2), a Novel p53 Inducible Transmembrane Protein related to DRAM, regulates autophagy

Abstract

Although the role of autophagy in tumorigenesis remains controversial, recent reports support the notion that the inhibition of autophagy promotes tumor promotion. DRAM (damage-regulated autophagy regulator) has been identified as an effector molecule which is critical for p53-mediated apoptosis, and we supposed that there might be other DRAM-like molecules which link autophagy and apoptosis. In this study, we describe the cloning and characterization of a novel DRAM homologue protein, DRAM2. The expression of DRAM2 is down-regulated in tumors, and both amino acid starvation and p53 expression induce DRAM2 expression. Whereas the overexpression of DRAM2 induces autophagy, the silencing of endogenous DRAM2 interferes with starvation-induced autophagy, and also attenuates p53-mediated cell death. Thus, we propose that DRAM2 is a novel DRAM-like transmembrane protein that mediates autophagy.

Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr LB-182.