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The interaction between mdm2 and p53 and its putative wider application to the regulation of growth control is discussed. mdm2 is an oncogene discovered on mouse double minute chromosomes, while p53 is a tunor suppressor gene whose product is frequently inactivated during cancer development. Efforts to identify p53 target genes has led to the identification of mdm2 as a target gene. The mdm2 gene product seems to possess the ability to bind and form a complex with p53 in the same way that p53 was discovered via its ability to bind to SV40TAg.

Balding causes widespread psychological distress but is poorly controlled. The commonest treatment, minoxidil, was originally an antihypertensive drug that promoted unwanted hair. We hypothesized that another serendipitous discovery, increased eyelash growth side-effects of prostamide F2α-related eyedrops for glaucoma, may be relevant for scalp alopecias. Eyelash hairs and follicles are highly specialized and remain unaffected by androgens that inhibit scalp follicles and stimulate many others. Therefore, we investigated whether non-eyelash follicles could respond to bimatoprost, a prostamide F2α analog recently licensed for eyelash hypotrichosis. Bimatoprost, at pharmacologically selective concentrations, increased hair synthesis in scalp follicle organ culture and advanced mouse pelage hair regrowth in vivo compared to vehicle alone. A prostamide receptor antagonist blocked isolated follicle growth, confirming a direct, receptor-mediated mechanism within follicles; RT-PCR analysis identified 3 relevant receptor genes in scalp follicles in vivo. Receptors were located in the key follicle regulator, the dermal papilla, by analyzing individual follicular structures and immunohistochemistry. Thus, bimatoprost stimulates human scalp follicles in culture and rodent pelage follicles in vivo, mirroring eyelash behavior, and scalp follicles contain bimatoprost-sensitive prostamide receptors in vivo. This highlights a new follicular signaling system and confirms that bimatoprost offers a novel, low-risk therapeutic approach for scalp alopecias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A panel of tumour models used extensively for in vivo evaluation of new drugs was characterised for their p53 status. Basal p53 protein levels were measured by immunodetection on both formalin-fixed tumour tissue and from protein extracts of fresh tumours. High levels of nuclear-specific staining, indicative of p53 mutation, was seen in 15/25 tumours, with the remainder showing intermittent or no staining. The functional status of p53 cDNA from these tumours was assayed within the functional analysis of separated alleles in yeast (F.A.S.A.Y.) reporter system. The cDNA from those tumours with high levels of p53 protein showed 14/15 failing to activate the reporter gene. The cDNA from tumours with low or non-detectable p53 levels showed 8/10 with wild-type p53. Tumours were grown subcutaneously in mice (n=10). Each mouse was given maximum tolerated doses for either doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil or cisplatin. Tumour volumes were measured daily, alongside untreated controls. The specific growth delay values for each tumour were separated into two groups, those with functional p53 (wild-type) and those without (mutant and null status). The Mann-Whitney U test was performed on the groups of data, to evaluate differences in their response on the basis of p53 status. Cisplatin was moderately active against tumours with wild-type and mutant p53 genes with no significant difference seen between both groups. However, a significant difference in specific growth delay was seen between the two groups when treated with doxorubicin or 5-fluorouracil (P=0.05), indicating a role for p53 protein in modulating the in vivo efficacy of these agents.