Gadd45 in stress signaling, cell cycle control, and apoptosis

• Published in: Advances in experimental medicine and biology Vol. 793; p. 1
• Main Authors: Salvador, Jesús M, Brown-Clay, Joshua D, Fornace, Jr, Albert J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.01.2013
• Subjects: Apoptosis; Carcinogenesis; Cell Cycle Checkpoints; Cell Cycle Proteins - genetics; Cell Cycle Proteins - metabolism; DNA - genetics; DNA Damage; DNA Repair; Gene Expression Regulation; Humans; Nuclear Proteins - genetics; Nuclear Proteins - metabolism; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - genetics; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - metabolism; Signal Transduction; Stress, Physiological - genetics; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 - genetics; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 - metabolism
• ISSN: 0065-2598
• DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-8289-5_1

The first identified Gadd45 gene, Gadd45a, encodes a ubiquitously expressed protein that is often induced by DNA damage and other stress signals associated with growth arrest and apoptosis. This protein and the other two members of this small gene family, Gadd45b and Gadd45g, have been implicated in a variety of the responses to cell injury including cell cycle checkpoints, apoptosis, and DNA repair. In vivo, many of the prominent roles for the Gadd45 proteins are associated with signaling mediated by p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK). Gadd45 proteins can contribute to p38 activation either by activation of upstream kinase(s) or by direct interaction. In vivo, there are important tissue and cell-type-specific differences in the roles for Gadd45 in MAPK signaling. In addition to being p53-regulated, Gadd45a has been found to contribute to p53 activation via p38. Like other stress and signaling proteins, Gadd45 proteins show complex regulation and numerous effectors.