The p53 tumour-suppressor protein is a transcription factor that activates the expression of genes involved in cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and DNA repair. The p53 protein is vulnerable to oxidation at cysteine thiol groups. The metal-chelating dithiocarbamates, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), diethyldithiocarbamate, ethylene(bis)dithiocarbamate and H2O2 were tested for their oxidative effects on p53 in cultured human breast cancer cells. Only PDTC oxidized p53, although all oxidants tested increased the p53 level. Inductively coupled plasma MS analysis indicated that the addition of 60μM PDTC increased the cellular copper concentration by 4-fold, which was the highest level of copper accumulated amongst all the oxidants tested. Bathocuproinedisulphonic acid, a membrane-impermeable Cu(I) chelator inhibited the PDTC-mediated copper accumulation. Bathocuproinedisulphonic acid as well as the hydroxyl radical scavenger d-mannitol inhibited the PDTC-dependent increase in p53 protein and oxidation. Our results show that a low level of copper accumulation in the range of 25–40μg/g of cellular protein increases the steady-state levels of p53. At copper accumulation levels higher than 60μg/g of cellular protein, p53 is oxidized. These results suggest that p53 is vulnerable to free radical-mediated oxidation at cysteine residues.
