Expression of p21Sdi1 downstream of p53 is essential for induction of cellular senescence, although cancer cell senescence can also occur in the p53 null condition. We report herein that senescence-associated phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 (SA-pErk1/2) enhanced p21 Sdi1 transcription by phosphorylating Sp1 on Ser 59 downstream of protein kinase C (PKC) ␣. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), which was increased in cellular senescence, significantly activated both PKC␣ and PKCI. However, PKC␣, but not PKCI, regulated ROS generation and cell proliferation in senescent cells along with activation of cdk2, proven by siRNAs. PKC␣-siRNA also reduced SA-pErk1/2 expression in old human diploid fibroblast cells, accompanied with changes of senescence phenotypes to young cell-like. Regulation of SA-pErk1/2 was also confirmed by using catalytically active PKC␣ and its DN-mutant construct. These findings strongly suggest a new pathway to regulate senescence phenotypes by ROS via Sp1 phosphorylation between PKC␣ and SA-pErk1/2: employing GST-Sp1 mutants and MEK inhibitor analyses, we found that SA-pErk1/2 regulated Sp1 phosphorylation on the Ser 59 residue in vivo, but not threonine, in cellular senescence, which regulated transcription of p21 Sdi1 expression. In summary, PKC␣, which was activated in senescent cells by ROS strongly activated Erk1/2, and the SA-pErk1/2 in turn phosphorylated Sp1 on Ser
59. Sp1-enhanced transcription of p21 Sdi1 resulted in regulation of cellular senescence in primary human diploid fibroblast cells.
PKC3 comprises a family of serine/threonine kinase that modulates a variety of signal transduction pathways, leading to gene expression, cell proliferation, and differentiation. PKC isoforms are classified into three subgroups. The conventional PKC isozymes, comprising, ␣, I, II, and ␥, are activated by Ca 2ϩ , phosphatidylserine, diacylglycerol, or phorbol esters; the novel PKC isozymes, consisting of PKC␦, -⑀, -, -, and -, are activated by phosphatidylserine, diacylglycerol, or phorbol esters, but insensitive to Ca 2ϩ ; and the atypical isoforms ( and /) are dependent on phosphatidylserine for activation, but not affected by Ca 2ϩ , diacylglycerol, or phorbol esters (1-3). Activated PKC translocates from cytosol to membranous organelles and/or to the nucleus (4, 5). In addition, oxidative stress has been reported to induce prolonged activation of PKC within the cells (6 -9). The growth regulatory consequences of PKC activation suggest a link between PKC signaling and control of the cell cycle machinery. Activation of PKC has been shown to result in alterations of cell cycle progression in either stimulatory or inhibitory directions in several systems (10 -15). Among the isoforms, PKC␣ has been implicated in the control of G 1 /S transition (14, 16 -18) and recently in the regulation of cancer cell senescence (19), whereas PKCII has been shown to play a role in progression from G 2 into M phase (15), and PKC␦ has been associated with the control of M phase (2...