A DR4:tBID axis drives the p53 apoptotic response by promoting oligomerization of poised BAX

Abstract

The cellular response to p53 activation varies greatly in a stimulus‐ and cell type‐specific manner. Dissecting the molecular mechanisms defining these cell fate choices will assist the development of effective p53‐based cancer therapies and also illuminate fundamental processes by which gene networks control cellular behaviour. Using an experimental system wherein stimulus‐specific p53 responses are elicited by non‐genotoxic versus genotoxic agents, we discovered a novel mechanism that determines whether cells undergo proliferation arrest or cell death. Strikingly, we observe that key mediators of cell‐cycle arrest (p21, 14‐3‐3σ) and apoptosis (PUMA, BAX) are equally activated regardless of outcome. In fact, arresting cells display strong translocation of PUMA and BAX to the mitochondria, yet fail to release cytochrome C or activate caspases. Surprisingly, the key differential events in apoptotic cells are p53‐dependent activation of the DR4 death receptor pathway, caspase 8‐mediated cleavage of BID, and BID‐dependent activation of poised BAX at the mitochondria. These results reveal a previously unappreciated role for DR4 and the extrinsic apoptotic pathway in cell fate choice following p53 activation.