Nuclear accumulation of p53 in response to treatment with DNA-damaging agents

A number of agents which damage DNA also trigger the nuclear accumulation of the tumor suppressor protein p53. Here we show the correlation with different p53 detection methods. As an example we investigated the effects of the cancer therapy drug mitomycin C on different mammalian cell lines. Our findings demonstrate that either the immunofluorescence techniques (indirect immunofluorescence staining or flow cytometric analysis) or ELISA or immunoblot assays are useful methods in detecting p53 accumulation. Simultaneously we measured DNA damage with the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase assay. Compatible data were obtained. Thus p53 accumulation may be used as indicator of DNA injury.